ISO 9000 performance in Japanese industries

This research analyses the factors that determine the performance of ISO 9000 standards in Japanese industries. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from ISO 9000 certified companies nationwide. Our research hypothesis is that the performance of ISO 9000 depends upon the aspects that motivate a company to obtain certification, the process followed or approach taken during preparation for registration, the maintenance activities after certification, and the practice of previous or existent quality measures within the organization. These measures should predict how successful the standards are for an organization. In order to test the hypothesis, statistical data analysis includes t-test of the means, factor analysis, and regression. Slightly different trends are found in small, medium, and large organizations regarding the potential benefits from the ISO 9000 system and the influential measures. Small corporations focus on motivational issues and implementation procedures during the preparation for registration stage. In the case of medium size companies, motivational aspects, implementation procedures, maintenance activities, and previous/existent quality measures are all emphasized. Large corporations, similar to medium corporations, focus on the four independent variables, emphasizing the significance of employees' involvement and understanding, MIS, and Six Sigma. Our findings suggest that the integration of the influential issues within the organizational system allows the organization effectively to improve quality, minimize cost, develop international markets, and optimize profits through ISO 9000.