The impact of ISO9000 certification on organizational performances in Gauteng

Abstract

ISO9000 as a concept has mostly been associated with the functional role of quality management. The concept from a theoretical point of view has been studied. Although, there is a lack of a theoretical foundation and research on the actual role of ISO9000 and its effectiveness on operational and business performance. Despite the numerous studies on the effectiveness and impact of ISO9000 standard in companies, researchers have still not come to an agreement on the standards benefits. It is therefore important to undertake an investigation in order to determine how ISO9000 affects the organizational performance in companies based in Gauteng. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of ISO9000 on organizational performance. A concept analysis was made which combines theoretical and analytical phases. The Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) data analysis was used to conduct the statistical tests. The population count used in the study was from 172 ISO9000 certified companies registered on SANAS, ALPHA and SABS in Gauteng. Random sampling was used to conduct the research in 102 companies. The empirical data was collected from questionnaire surveys which were sent to 102 ISO9000 certified companies in Gauteng and answered by top management who were responsible for quality in their organizations. The results has revealed that there is a statistically significant improvement that is related to the ISO9000 dimensions. Like other research the present study has limitations. The sample of the responding ISO9000 certified companies is limited to Gauteng, moreover the responses could be subjected to bias as it is a representative of one person in the company. Furthermore the statistics were not compared to noncertified companies as this study was not a comparative study. The above limitations suggest future research recommendations. Some of the recommendations that should be considered for future studies are the number of participating certified companies - a comparative study would be beneficial. Based on the core issue of inconsistencies in the conclusions of ISO9000 Effectiveness research articles, the present study provides a comprehensive favorable impact that ISO9000 certification has on both operational and business performance.