Quality Standards Implementation in the Greek Food Sector
Article summary
This article revolves around the perception of the ISO 9001:2000 implementations in the food sector. This followed research in 97 food companies from Greece, which was certified, to ISO 9001:2000. The researchers used questionnaires to gather information in order to find reasons, benefits, as well as difficulties in achieving the certification (Vouza, Psomas & Fotopoulos, 2008).
The findings of the study showed that the major reasons for certification mostly involved the internal and the external environment of the business and their interrelationships. It shows the need for being certified. In addition, it has set the parameters for achieving ISO 9001:2000. It also delves into the impact of standards on business performance.
Key learning points
Organizations have realized that the quality of products is the most salient aspect in judging the viability of the product. A company must aim at high standards in order to gain a competitive advantage, this leads to quality improvement. To achieve this, a company must use different methods to achieve the desired results. Key among them is to get the ISO: 9000 quality assurance standards (Vouza, Psomas & Fotopoulos, 2008)this assures the investors and customers that your company meets the industry quality standards.
The ISO 9000 standards focus on bringing unity of quality across countries. Indeed, they refer “to the minimum requirement that a company should have to ensure consistent and stable production of goods or services” (Vouza, Psomas & Fotopoulos, 2008). However, ISO 9000 standards are impractical since they do not concentrate on any product or industry. These standards do not apply to every company in the same way, and, therefore, each company has to design its own system based on their requirements of the ISO: 9000 that will be compatible with their needs and conditions. These standards ensure that the company’s processes of production are carried out according to set procedures and do not affect the quality of products.
As a result, this might change in the future since certification has become the norm for doing business in most countries. Indeed, ISO certification “is a customer requirement for some organizations and, therefore, managers may opt to implement it with minimum disruption to the company regardless of potential internal benefits and effects of certification” (Vouza, Psomas & Fotopoulos, 2008). As a management tool, it is intended to increase and foster quality practices.
Relevant statements to the session
ISO 9000 is a convenient method of setting standards in any company, but it also comes with its limitations. For instance, the introduction of ISO9001:2000 has come with many advantages overshadowing the ISO 9000. Indeed, many aspects of ISO: 9000 concentrates on manufacturing, leaving out other vital processes. This study identified the relationship between quality and performance in the competitive market arena (Vouza, Psmas & Fotopoulos, 2008).
Critical analysis
The ISO 9000 series of standards has formalized systems for evaluating the ability of any firm to consistently produce and deliver quality products and services. The objective of this study is to show the competing views of the standard showing that ISO 9000 certification can be competitive in the market.
Practical implications
This study concludes that ISO 9001:2000 certification has a positive impact on manufacturing companies’ performance through financial resource management and customer satisfaction. therefore manufacturing companies should adopt ISO 9000 certification as it would ensure better business performance. the real concern should be the customer, who is the beginning point of self-examination for any company that desires to meet the needs of its target market. This demands continuous efforts to improve the quality of their products and services.
Reference
Vouza, K. F., Psomas, L. E, & Fotopoulos, V. C. (2008). Iso9001:2000 Implementation in the Greek Food Sector. Web.