quality standards essay

Quality of the ISO 9000 series of standards-perceptions of quality management experts

International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences

ISSN : 1756-669X

Article publication date: 6 August 2021

Issue publication date: 23 November 2021

The authors of this study, who adopted a holistic view of the international organization for standardization (ISO) 9000 series of standards, aimed to evaluate the current status of the standards within the framework of the quality movement. Specifically, the evaluation covered two dimensions, i.e. the significance of the content included in the standards and the quality of the standards’ elaboration, which encompasses such issues as, for instance, their correctness, relevance to current trends in quality management, comprehensibility, etc.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a review of the scientific literature, analysis of the current and all previous versions of the international standards and the results of a survey, through which data were collected from 73 quality management experts from 17 different countries. To evaluate the results, an importance-performance analysis was performed.

As the results of the research demonstrated, experts in quality management have accepted the ISO 9000 standards series. However, this positive view refers mainly to the very idea of developing quality management standards and these standard’s content structure (components included in them). Study participants assigned a low rating to the quality of the standards’ elaboration. Therefore, improving the following aspects of the standards is essential: definitions, guidelines explaining the requirements for a quality management system, self-assessment tools and guidelines concerning quality management concerning chosen forms of activity.

Research limitations/implications

The research described here in has both practical and social implications. First, it delineates the direction needed to improve standardizations, whose use need not be strictly limited to quality management but can be successfully used to improve the standards in other areas of management. Therefore, the conclusions of this research directly contribute to increasing both the effectiveness and the quality of the standard organizations. The significant consequences of this research for managers are the identification of ISO 9000 components which they will find are the most useful.

Practical implications

The research described herein has both practical and social implications. First, it delineates the direction needed to improve standardizations, whose use need not be strictly limited to quality management. However, it can be successfully used to improve the standards in other areas of management. Therefore, the conclusions of this research directly contribute to increasing both the effectiveness and the quality of the standard organizations. The significant consequences of this research for managers are the identification of ISO 9000 components, which they will find are the most useful.

Originality/value

Most research treats ISO 9000 standards as a benchmark for their studies on quality management systems implemented in organizations. The standards themselves are rarely the subject of a study, and so this paper fills a gap in the research and provides insights into desired directions for standards improvement.

Quality management
Quality movement
Importance-performance analysis

Rogala, P. and Wawak, S. (2021), "Quality of the ISO 9000 series of standards-perceptions of quality management experts", International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences , Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 509-525. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQSS-04-2020-0065

Emerald Publishing Limited

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1. Introduction

In 1997, Seddon was highly critical of international quality management standards. Among other standards, he asserted that “ISO 9000 has only succeeded in steering quality into troubled waters. Far from being the first step to quality, it has been a step in the wrong direction” ( Seddon, 1997 ).

A total of 23 years have elapsed, as that moment and much has changed. The standards have undergone several revisions, the number of ISO 9001 certified organizations has increased to nearly five times its size during Seddon’s time ( www.iso.org ) and new standards concerning quality management and other subjects (e.g. occupational health and safety, energy and human resources) have been instituted. Moreover, numerous scientific studies have been conducted on ISO 9000 series of standards and the focus of researchers has been issues related to procedures for the successful implementation of a quality management system and the benefits of this implementation. This limitation is unjustified, primarily because it omits or depreciates the significance of ISO 9000 series standards other than those dedicated to quality management, a situation John West describes as follows:

I have observed that awareness of the existence of these and other guidance documents by users seems to be declining. While my data is certainly anecdotal, I find that most new users and even a number of »ISO consultants« I have met are unaware of their existence. And the lack of awareness extends to supporting standards, not just free guidance. And there is plenty of other free guidance available as well! There is a great deal of richness in the ISO 9000 family of documents and it is a shame for users not to know about and take advantage of the full range of possibilities ( West, 2007 ).

What West describes is indeed happening, even though the International Organization for Standardization, in its publications and through its representatives, clearly states that the entire body of standards should be instituted all together and at the same time. Cary Cort (Chair of ISO/TC 176) claimed the following:

I believe we must look beyond individual standards and acknowledge the pre-eminence of a dynamic web of interconnected, mutually supporting standards, guidelines and associated collateral that collectively enable and sustain the ISO 9000 family of s t andards. I call this interdependent network the ISO 9000 ecosystem, and its primary focus is to create a compelling value proposition for the front-line users and potential users of the ISO 9000 family of standards ( Cort, 2010 ).

On the other hand, it should be remembered that some researchers question the quality and usefulness of international standards. For example, Spring (2016) , stated as follows:

Many would like to believe that standards are managed in a coherent and logical way. Indeed, some management and coordination efforts (…) have met with success. Many other standards arise […] as the result of needs that are far less planned.

What is the current status of the ISO 9000 family of standards (regarded as a whole) in the quality management movement framework?

Are these standards widely accepted and recognized among specialists dealing with quality management?

Are these standards viewed as a valued and important part of the quality management concept? Do they reflect modern trends in management?

Do these standards constitute a consistent and useful approach?

Is the ISO 9000 family of standards a generally accepted part of the quality movement?

Which components of the ISO 9000 family are viewed as the most significant?

Which components of the ISO 9000 family are viewed as being elaborated best?

Which components of the ISO 9000 family should be improved first?

The search for answers to these questions is justified by the literature. According to Hoel and Chen (2018) , there is a need to maintain feedback loops between standardization and scientific research. Standards-making (and improving) should be based on research results, but on the other hand, standards should be the subject of scientific evaluation.

Different methodologies were used to carry out the research needed to answer these questions: a review of the relevant literature, analysis of the current and all previous versions of the ISO 9000 series of standards, a survey (i.e. computer-assisted web interviews – CAWI) and an importance-performance analysis (IPA).

The structure of this paper is as follows: Section 2 reviews the relevant literature to present the background of the study and Section 3 describes the methods used to carry out the study, including defining the data-collection instrument, sampling and conducting the IPA technique. Section 4 identifies the most relevant results of the survey. Finally, Sections 5 and 6 present the discussion, recommendations for future research and implications of the study.

2. Literature review

Scholars have studied the quality management system based on ISO 9001, as the publication of its first version in 1987. As then, hundreds of studies have been conducted to examine the effects of the standard’s application on enterprises, banks, public administration offices and other organizational types. Moreover, systematic literature reviews that investigated the most critical problems related to the ISO 9000 series of standards have been collected and analyzed. For example, Sampaio et al. (2009) analyzed over 100 articles, finding that the primary issues addressed were the following: evolution of the certification market; the benefits, barriers and drawbacks associated with implementation; the impact of implementation on organizations; and the organizations’ financial performance following implementation.

Although some authors proposed additional topics deserving more in-depth analysis, none of these evaluated the standard itself. For instance, Tarí et al. (2012) studied 82 papers on ISO 9001, identifying the 13 most common benefits of instituting the standards that were analyzed by scholars, including improvements in market share, sales, profitability, image, efficiency and customer satisfaction. According to the research results, the scope of these benefits decreased as the number of certified enterprises increased (thereby decreasing the effects of competitive advantage). The studies conducted by Casadesus, Karapetrovic, et al. clearly exhibit this pattern; the range of benefits obtained by the large sample of enterprises the authors analyzed decreased in the years 1998–2006 ( Casadesus and Gimenez, 2000 ; Casadesus and Karapetrovic, 2005 ; Karapetrovic et al. , 2010 ).

Another relevant field of study has been the organizational effectiveness of management systems based on the ISO 9001 standard. Boiral (2012) reviewed 111 papers on internal benefits, including those impacting effectiveness and efficiency. The author found that multiple benefits could be linked not to ISO 9001 but rather to other phenomena occurring simultaneously. Based on a systematic review, the author presented 46 variables related to both organizational effectiveness and ISO 9001 requirements.

Addressing the controversy surrounding the impact of ISO 9001 standards on product innovation, Manders et al. (2016) reviewed 29 studies, concluding that multiple factors, including sector, region, company size and impact innovation, were responsible for organizations’ health, making the impact of ISO 9001 adherence unclear. As the results of the systematic literature reviews discussed above show, unambiguously positive effects of ISO 9001 implementation become increasingly difficult to identify with the passage of time. Saraiva et al. (2017) studied research papers concerning motivations, benefits and difficulties associated with the implementation and certification of quality management systems based on ISO 9001 requirements. They also found that type of benefits, and the degree to which they are exhibited, to be subject to multiple factors. Moreover, Serhan and Kabèche (2017) drew attention to the so-called “ISO 9001 Paradox,” which attempts to combine conformity and innovation. Kafel and Nowicki (2014) reported a high cost of ISO 9001 quality management certification causing organizations to withdraw from these certifications.

As the analysis of systematic literature reviews shows, most authors treat ISO 9001 standards as a starting point for their research. They assume that the standard is a model to which an organization’s functions should be adjusted. ISO 9001 is treated as a kind of framework for achieving a variety of strategically essential results, namely, profit growth, income growth, customer loyalty and organization image ( Urban, 2012 ). Although this assumption is not explicitly formulated in most of those studies, it is nonetheless assumed and has important implications. The limits of the standards are often discussed in scientific conferences in the field of quality management. Meanwhile, only a few researchers have assessed the ISO 9001 itself. The versions of the standard published in 1987 and 1994 were subject to more criticism ( Seddon, 2000 ; Hallström, 2004 ) and the 2000 version represented a significant step forward that eliminated most of the weaknesses present in previous versions. However, in a constantly changing business environment, standards should be updated regularly to best suit organizational needs and 2000, 2008 and 2015 versions served this purpose.

However, the question often arises as to whether changes introduced in these versions were sufficient. Gotzamani’s (2010) investigation into the effects organizations experience when they update their quality management systems to be consistent with ISO 9001:2000 requirements revealed that the 2000 revision achieved most of its goals, including those related to leadership, process management, customer focus and continuous improvement. Gutiérrez et al. (2010) used a different approach, comparing the results achieved by companies resulting from the implementation of ISO 9001, the EFQM model and Six Sigma. Based on the quantitative analysis of 234 organizations, they found that the EFQM model requires increased teamwork, whereas Six Sigma requires increases in support by top management, in process management and in statistical process control compared to ISO 9001. Thus, these authors indicated possible directions for improving the standard. Fonseca and Domingues (2017) asked experienced auditors to evaluate the assumption that ISO 9001:2015 is in line with modern business and quality management concepts and statistical analysis of surveys returned by 393 auditors confirmed that assumption. Unfortunately, the paper did not include a detailed analysis of ISO 9001:2015 requirements. Analyzing how changes in the 2015 release impacted enterprises that implemented or updated their quality management systems, Anttila and Jussila (2017) pointed out that the pace of change in the standards is significantly slower than those in a typical business environment and in society in general, a conclusion that contradicted previously presented research results.

It should be noted that the research methodology, scientific rigor and attitude of researchers have an impact on their research results. In particular, rationalization of actions undertaken by enterprises and the business interests of auditors may render results too optimistic. Therefore, research concerning ISO standards should be carried out using a methodology capable of providing objective results.

3. Methodology

This study used a quantitative methodology and used sample surveys, a basic research method commonly used in the social sciences and an important tool in applied work ( Wright and Marden, 2010 ), to gather the necessary information from the study’s respondents. The survey was administered to these respondents through CAWI and IPA was used to analyze the collected information.

3.1 Questionnaire

The questionnaire used to gather data from study participants was based on a content analysis of current and all previous revisions of the ISO 9000 series. The analysis aimed to identify the key components of the standards.

As far as the terminology standard was concerned, five components of the type were identified ( Table 1 ).

A content analysis of successive revisions of the standard, which included the requirements for a quality management system, resulted in the identification of eight key components and these are presented in Table 2 .

As many as 10 components, the highest result, were identified in ISO 9004 and are presented in Table 3 .

The analysis presented above demonstrated that some components are assigned to one standard only, e.g. requirements for a quality management system, whereas the remaining ones are present in two and sometimes three documents, e.g. the quality management principles. When the occurrence of repeated components in many standards is omitted, the ISO 9000 series allows the identification of 12 different components ( Table 4 ). However, this number was reduced to 11, as it was decided to exclude the last component, i.e. general information, from the analysis. This decision was due to strong internal diversification (i.e. it consists of different elements) and had a relatively low factual value.

1 – “not at all,”

2 – “rather not,”

3 – “neither yes nor not,”

4 – “rather yes” and

5 – “totally agree.”

1 ≤ r e s u l t s ≤ 3 – lack of acceptance;

3 < r e s u l t s ≤ 3.5 – acceptance but with a very low level of recognition;

3.5 < r e s u l t s ≤ 4 – acceptance but with a low level of recognition;

4 < r e s u l t s ≤ 4.5 – acceptance and an average level of recognition; and

4.5 < r e s u l t s ≤ 5 – acceptance and a high level of recognition.

3.2. Sampling

An article in one of the leading scientific journals, i.e. International Journal of Quality and Reliability , Total Quality Management and Business Excellence Management or TQM Journal , the journals recognized as the most significant in the area of quality management ( Carnerud et al. , 2018 ); and

An article in the Polish-language scientific journal “Problemy jakości” (The Problems of Quality) or a scientific (refereed) Polish-language monograph.

In this way, the authors compiled an initial list of 231 authors. The next step was to discover these researchers’ e-mails and those of 211 experts were identified.

To gather necessary information from respondents, the CAWI method was used. The research questionnaire described in the previous section was available on a website for respondents to complete. The use of CAWI has increased greatly over the past decade, driven partially by technological development and increased internet penetration and partially by falling response rates in traditional modes of polling ( Sowa et al. , 2015 ). While some studies have found potential disadvantages to CAWI, e.g. relatively higher levels of “don’t know” responses and high levels of break-offs, research has shown many advantages of CAWI compared to traditional modes of polling. This method is cost-efficient, allows automatic correction of errors and omissions during interviews and lessens problems with social desirability bias toward interviewers ( Hansen and Pedersen, 2012 ).

Requests to complete the questionnaire were sent from September until December 2018 and 73 correctly completed questionnaires were received, 45 from Poland and 28 from other countries ( Table 5 ). The entire sample group (73 experts) was dominated by researchers 40 years old or older (87%), employed at universities (92%) and having dealt with quality management for 10 years or longer (92%). Apart from their scientific activities, they had also, in the previous three years, delivered lectures to students (92%) and carried out professional training sessions on quality management (66%) and practical activities, i.e. performing audits, implementing quality management systems, etc. (62%).

Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated to test the reliability of the latent constructs and the results were as follows: 0.815 (significance of components) and 0.883 (quality of component development). These values indicate acceptable to good reliability.

3.3 Importance-performance analysis

The IPA technique offers a novel means to assess people’s satisfaction based on a disconfirmation of the expectation paradigm. This paradigm implies that expectations (i.e. perceived importance) that are greater than the provision performance leads to negative disconfirmation, i.e. dissatisfaction, whereas provision performance that is greater than expectation leads to positive disconfirmation, i.e. satisfaction ( Hua and Chen, 2019 ). This business research technique was developed as a marketing tool to examine and suggest solutions to management decisions. Although initially developed for marketing purposes, its application has been extended to various fields, including, food services, education, banking, public administration, e-business and science ( Sever, 2015 ).

Ia “Keep up” – factors that should be maintained at their current levels;

Ib “Monitor” – factors that should be monitored, as their degradation requires an immediate reaction;

II “Concentrate here” – factors that require instant improvement;

IIIa “Improve if possible” – factors that require improvement if there are free resources;

IIIb “Low priority” – low priority factors that do not require attention at the moment; and

IV “Keep status quo” – factors that do not need to be tackled ( Figure 1 ).

This approach can be described as an “expanded IPA.”

Another variant of the technique is the “IPA oriented to balance between performance and importance” in which the division into four quarters is insignificant. However, this approach introduces, like the “expanded IPA,” a line set at a 45° angle to the x -axis ( Dahlgaard-Park and Dahlgaard, 2008 ; Dahlgaard et al. , 2011 ). This way, the issues considered in the study are divided into the following three groups: characterized by equality between importance and performance – points located on or near the line, characterized by higher importance than performance – points located under the line and characterized by higher performance than importance – points located above the line. If importance is significantly higher than performance (Group 2), the issue needs immediate improvement. The opposite situation is taking place – when performance is significantly higher than importance (Group 3) – it means that given issues probably do not require as much attention and/or resources as until now ( Eskildsen and Dahlgaard, 1998 ; Dahlgaard and Dahlgaard-Park , 2004, 2010 ).

The “expanded IPA” has been chosen for this study because this approach is close to the core version of IPA and more often used in scientific publications compared to the “IPA oriented to balance.”

The average of all grades concerning the significance of separate components was 4.07, indicating, in general, that the expert respondents believed that the ISO 9000 series standards are appropriately constructed, as all the elements they include are important. However, opinions diverged with respect to separate issues. “Requirements for a system of quality management,” “quality management principles” and “definitions” were ranked highest, whereas “information on the standards prepared by the committee ISO/TC 176 Managing quality and maintaining quality” was ranked least important ( Table 6 ).

The average of all grades concerning the quality of specific components was 3.63, indicating that the experts evaluated the ISO 9000 series standards to have been properly written, in general. Still, opinions as to the quality level of specific components diverged. The highest rankings were given to “quality management principles,” “requirements for quality management systems,” and graphic presentations of the relations between terms and definitions, whereas “the guidelines concerning quality management in specific situations” were awarded the lowest grades ( Table 7 ).

The IPA was used to evaluate all components simultaneously in reference to both criteria used in the research ( Figure 2 ).

Based on the results shown in Figure 2 , the components included in ISO 9000, ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 were divided into six groups ( Table 8 ).

5. Discussion

The first research question ( RQ1 ) asked whether the ISO 9000 family of standards was a generally accepted part of the quality management concept. Study findings indicated that they are widely accepted, thereby confirming the positive opinions concerning the standards that have appeared in the scientific literature ( Fonseca and Domingues, 2017 ; Gaspar et al. , 2018 ). Study results also indicated differing assessments of the two dimensions. Rated higher was the significance of the components included in the standards and the scores related to the significance of the separate components was 4.07, indicating that the experts assessed the ISO 9000 family of standards as including significant elements.

However, the respondents’ assessment of the quality of the standards’ elaboration (i.e. their correctness, relevance to current trends in quality management, comprehensibility, etc.) was not as certain. The average score here was 3.63, indicating that, although the quality of the standards was judged acceptable (i.e. it was greater than 3), it was not evaluated high, i.e. four or greater. Therefore, the experts can be assumed to, in general, accept the standards of ISO 9000 series but rate as low or merely average their usefulness in clarifying the essence of quality management, creating a terminology order, providing a competitive advantage, etc.

This finding is in accordance with the results of research carried out by Gutiérrez et al. (2010) , who dealt primarily with the ISO 9001 standard. The authors showed that, on the basis of the ISO 9000 family, an organization can make the initial step only in fully implementing quality management. However, the expectations of the experts who participated in the current study might have been too high. Also, worth noting are the nature of the standards, the goals of standardization (i.e. to publish specifications for common and repeated use, aimed at achieving an optimum degree of order or uniformity in a given context, discipline or field) and, finally, the rules of standards development elaboration (e.g. development of standards through a multi-stakeholder process and on the basis of a consensus). Under these assumptions, ISO 9000 standards cannot be expected to include highly innovative or unique solutions fully adjusted to every organization’s needs. What may be expected from them is to be appropriately elaborated on the basis of current knowledge.

Quality management principles;

Definitions;

Guidelines explaining (interpreting, exemplifying, etc.) the requirements for a quality management system; and

Self-assessment tool.

The opinions on the significance of the last two components above were much more diverse than those related to the previous three components (as shown by the higher standard deviation values). The scores given to the five components above (which were higher than 4 in every case) indicate that, in the expert opinions, they constitute the core of the ISO 9000 family of standards. Thus, it seems reasonable to assume that experts in quality management recommend that the components be used to design or review standards concerning other fields (e.g. energy management or human resources).

The third research question ( RQ3 ) was designed to establish which components of the ISO 9000 family of standards are elaborated best. Generally speaking, the quality of the ISO 9000 family of standards elaboration was not evaluated high. The experts who participated in the research assessed “quality management principles” as having the highest level of elaboration (average score 4.27). Given that they were ranked as the second most significant component, it can be claimed that they are the strength of the ISO 9000 family of standards. The next most highly ranked component with respect to quality was “the requirements for quality management systems” with an average score of 4.04, meaning that the experts accepted the way in which it expressed requirements. However, in their assessments, they pointed out that they see the quality management system as a “mediocre” solution at best.

Graphic representation of relations between terms and definitions;

Description of the relation between chosen standards;

Definitions; and

They were all evaluated with scores of less than 4, indicating that, although their level was judged acceptable, they received low or very low recognition among the experts.

Guidelines explaining the requirements for a quality management system;

Self-assessment tool; and

Guidelines concerning quality management in relation to chosen forms of activity.

An apparent contradiction is noticeable in the case of two components, i.e. “definitions” and “self-assessment tool.” Both were included in the best-elaborated factors and also in those which should be improved first. This situation has a logical explanation. Although the quality of elaboration of the two components is higher than the rest, it is still noticeably lower than the quality of elaboration of the quality management principles. The scientific literature provides some signals that serve to confirm this interpretation. Among others, Anttila and Jussila (2017) note the general ambiguity of many fundamental concepts and definitions included in the standards. The low quality of definitions was also pointed out by Olsen and Borit (2013) . On the other hand, Bendell (2000) focused attention on problems related to the self-assessment tool.

6. Conclusions

The ISO 9000 family of standards has existed for over 30 years. During this time, it has become a part of the quality movement and has been identified as one of the most important international standards. The research reported herein demonstrated that it has gained the acceptance of experts dealing with quality management. However, this positive view refers primarily to the general idea of developing quality management standards and the content structure of the standards (i.e. the components included in them). The quality of the standards’ elaboration was rated noticeably lower. Therefore, it is essential to improve four aspects of the standards, i.e. definitions, guidelines explaining the requirements for a quality management system, the self-assessment tool and guidelines concerning quality management in relation to chosen forms of activity. It might also be reasonable to consider removing those components from the standards whose significance was ranked lowest.

Future research should be oriented primarily on directions and possible ways of improving the four components. So far, little attention has been paid to them. Therefore, it is crucial to establish the weaknesses of each component, the expectations of the users of the standards concerning these components and the opportunities that exist to meet those expectations. It should also be noted that choosing another version of the IPA technique (e.g. “IPA oriented to balance”) could lead to slightly different conclusions of the study because it puts more emphasis on the difference in the assessment of importance and performance. Therefore, it would be worth carrying out such research and comparing the results.

The research reported here has both practical and societal implications. It points the way to improve the standards, the applicability of which is not strictly limited to quality management, which may be successfully used to improve the standards in other management areas. The research conclusions can be directly used to increase the effectiveness of standardization organizations and improve the standards’ overall quality. A significant implication for managers is identifying and pointing out the components of the ISO 9000 family of standards (other than requirements for a quality management system) that may become interesting and useful to them in managing their organizations.

IPA for key components of the ISO 9000 family of standards

Content of successive revisions of the terminology standard

Source: Own study

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Customer Focus Principle in Quality Standards Essay

Introduction, literature review, reference list.

Customer focus is one of the principles codified by ISO 9001: 2008. While it is commonly believed to enhance the quality of products and services provided by the company, the effect is only achievable when the critical success factors responsible for its success are acknowledged. The following paper overviews the critical success factors for the customer focus principle.

Customer-focused organizations are more likely to satisfy the quality standards set by ISO 9001: 2008. First, the principle in question serves to enhance the product development cycle. Strong orientation towards the interests and values of customers sustains the research and development process by providing crucial information on the needs of the market (Yaya, Marimon & Casadesus, 2014).

By extension, customer-focused organizations are able to introduce products or services that are better aligned with the expectations of the market and whose quality is not compromised by the misguided assumptions. In addition, the principle requires the organization to maintain close contact with the core customers.

The feedback made possible by this collaboration allows the organization to adjust their products and services in order to account for the changes in the customers’ expectations and, more importantly, timely detect and address the flaws that hinder the quality of the products already present on the market (Manders, de Vries & Blind 2016). In other words, customer focus allows the quality improvements both at the launch phase of the product and throughout its lifespan.

The principle is also associated with increased customer loyalty, which, in turn, has an indirect effect on quality. Specifically, a loyal customer base makes the product development more predictable and reliant on market research in the long run (Yaya, Marimon & Casadesus, 2014). In addition to providing the opportunity of cutting the costs R&D process, this effect decreases the likelihood of introducing a product of inferior quality by failing to detect a flaw.

Finally, customer-focused organizations enjoy greater financial stability. More specifically, higher customer retention rates, the possibility to tap into new audiences, and the ability to differentiate the organizations’ products or services from those of competitors increase the revenues and sustain customer satisfaction rate. It is important to note that the effect is only observable in the long run and requires a significant initial investment, which may discourage the management (Yaya, Marimon & Casadesus, 2014).

While this parameter does not relate directly to the quality of their products or services, it would be reasonable to expect a positive indirect effect associated with increased stability. In other words, the organizations with stronger positions on the market are less likely to pursue short-term objectives and seek compromises where quality is sacrificed in favor of decreased expenses.

Numerous critical success factors (CSFs) have been identified that influence the outcomes of implementing customer focus principles. Some of these CSFs are more suitable for the individual application, while others are scalable and can be equally relevant on the organizational level.

One of the most fundamental success factors is the ability to timely react to the feedback received from the customers (Ismyrlis, Moschidis & Tsiotras 2015). The reports from the customers contain useful information that enables the managers to adjust the organization’s functioning in accordance with the expectations displayed by the respondents. However, if the organization is slow to deliver the required change on time, the usefulness of the received information is significantly decreased.

First, the gap between the reception of the issue and the respective adjustment opens up the possibility for the competitors to gain superiority at the market. Even more importantly, the core customers who are aware of the customer-centered approach may expect a timely reaction from the company and, in some cases, depend on it. In such a scenario, the trust between the organization and the customer will be compromised if the former fails to react appropriately to the feedback or reinforced if the latter observes the desired result on time.

Two secondary CSFs are marginally related to timeliness. Active listening is required to facilitate a proper customer focus, and empathy is considered a factor that enhances its effect (Ismyrlis, Moschidis & Tsiotras 2015). While both factors are commonly brought up in the context of individual managers who interact with customers directly, they are equally applicable on the organizational scale.

In this case, active listening is the ability to arrive at meaningful conclusions based on the correctly interpreted data, which, in turn, would eliminate quality setbacks. Empathy, on the other hand, can be effectively adopted as a part of the customer policy for the organizations that interact with customers directly, which would enhance the emotional bond, facilitate trust, and, by extension, improve the perceived quality of the provided services.

Finally, dependability is a critical success factor that drives quality. Once it is clear what needs to be changed in the product or service, the planned change should be specified and communicated to the stakeholders, preferably with as much detail as possible. This approach would further boost the trust of the customers and, more importantly, serve as a roadmap for the company employees (Ismyrlis, Moschidis & Tsiotras 2015). The alignment of operations with the expectations of the customers will make the outcome more predictable for both sides and establish the level of quality for the organization to pursue.

Customer focus holds great potential for the improvement of the company’s products and services. Sufficient understanding of the mechanisms of its influence and the critical success factors associated with it provides a solid basis for managers planning to integrate it into their organization’s strategy. Therefore, the timeliness, dependability, empathy, and active listening are to be maintained throughout the production cycle in order to establish and sustain the desired level of quality.

Ismyrlis, V, Moschidis, O & Tsiotras, G 2015, ‘Critical success factors examined in ISO 9001: 2008-certified Greek companies using multidimensional statistics’, International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management , vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 114-131.

Manders, B, de Vries, H J & Blind, K 2016, ‘ISO 9001 and product innovation: a literature review and research framework’, Technovation, vol. 48, pp. 41-55.

Yaya, L H P, Marimon, F & Casadesus, M 2014, ‘The revitalising effect of ISO 9001 on dissatisfied customers’, Total Quality Management & Business Excellence , vol. 25, no. 7-8, pp. 856-864.

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Integration of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
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Aligning Academic Quality and Standards with Academic Integrity

First Online: 27 October 2022

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Irene Glendinning 7

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All levels of educational institutions must safeguard their academic standards through attention to quality assurance, ideally through a combination of internal quality monitoring and external auditing. In this chapter, I argue that academic integrity should be recognised as an essential component of an institutional quality strategy and present some guidance on how this can be achieved. The rise in contract cheating services means that threats to academic standards in higher education have never been greater. We need to apply a range of policies to challenge and mitigate these risks. Approaches to quality assurance vary greatly in different parts of the world, together with differences in perceptions by members of the academic community of what constitutes acceptable academic conduct. Accordingly, this chapter explores how academic quality, standards and integrity can be integrated within an institution-wide quality strategy to help support the threats to academic integrity, particularly those from contract cheating.

Institutional strategy
Quality assurance
Academic integrity
Educational standards
Institutional policies and procedures
Contract cheating

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Glendinning, I. (2022). Aligning Academic Quality and Standards with Academic Integrity. In: Eaton, S.E., Curtis, G.J., Stoesz, B.M., Clare, J., Rundle, K., Seeland, J. (eds) Contract Cheating in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12680-2_14

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Quality Management — The Concept of Quality

The Concept of Quality

Categories: Quality Management

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Seligman, M. E. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Simon and Schuster.

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Quality Standard ISO 9000 – Essay Sample

1. ISO 9000 is a quality standard certification that is given by ISO, an international network of local national standards institutes. As a quality management program, the basic aim of ISO is to set standards for products within the globalized market in an “industry-specific” way. This therefore gives industries, sellers and buyers a reference to an external quality index that is applicable to a particular product. At the same time, however, the specificity of ISO 9000 lies in its expansiveness, insofar as it designates a “generic standard for quality management systems that could be applied to virtually any company in any industry in any country.” (Kelly & McGowen, p. 265, 2010) Accordingly, ISO 9000 provides a general synopsis of the quality of products in general.

In contrast, the quality management program of Six Sigma can be defined as an overall company and management philosophy. The basic function of Six Sigma is that it “shifts the paradigm quality as the cause of good business performance and not the effect.” (Mukherjee, 2006, p. 337) Accordingly, Six Sigma does not attempt to reach quality management standards that are defined by an exterior source, but rather starts from a definition of quality that is consistent with the company’s vision, and thus produces goods within this framework.

Both quality management programs obviously stress the quality of products, in order to help ensure the success of producers and the satisfaction of consumers. However, the means by which Sigma Six and ISO 9000 accomplish this aim are radically different. ISO 9000 is an exterior standard, defined by an international network. Accordingly, companies attempt to achieve this standard. In contrast, Sigma Six is what may be termed a wholly immanent approach to quality, in which quality is to be present throughout the business, beginning at its most foundational levels. The business does not attempt to satisfy pre-existing and exteriorly defined quality standards, but rather its entire structure is imbued with a self-defined notion of quality that determines its strategies. The crucial difference between ISO 9000 and Six Sigma thus lies in the former’s somewhat mechanical approach to quality management and the latter’s greater philosophical approach to quality management.

2. Two examples of companies within the fashion and apparel industry that employ Six Sigma concepts for quality management are Textured Jersey (hereinafter: TJ) and Bob’s stores respectively. In the case of TJ, the company manufactures fabric for women’s wear, producing approximately 6 million meters per year (Smith & Bates, 2003, p. 496) TJ’s decision to implement Six Sigma can be traced back to the successes of the strategy among major companies; moreover, the notion that such major companies set their own standards for excellence and quality informed TJ’s choice. (Smith & Bates, 2003, p. 496) Regarding their implementation of Six Sigma, TJ set the following goals: that Six Sigma is recognized as a benchmark to be attained; that it becomes completely institutionalized; that “bottom-line” improvements emerge; that existing problems are eliminated; that an encouraging work environment develops; and that novelty is a crucial part of the company’s world view. (Smith & Bates, 2003, p. 496) Accordingly, the approach of TJ was one of a radical change in the company’s philosophy, which generated such positive effects as general cost reduction and productivity increases. (Smith & Bates, 2003, p. 496) Furthermore, recent aims of TJ as defined by the Six Sigma strategy have included an aggressive expansion of their production base. (Textured Jersey, 2011) The primary decision of TJ’s quality management program can therefore be understood as an attempt to remain proactive as opposed to reactive: an internal conception of quality that is generated throughout the company, and furthermore, the realization of this notion of quality in all phases of the company’s operations, for example, from the establishment of a positive work environment to an emphasis on “bottom line” economics, demonstrates the company-wide changes that Six Sigma has encouraged. What is arguably crucial about TJ’s approach is its embracement of novelty: quality is not considered as something static, but rather as ever-evolving, insofar as new standards of what constitutes a quality product continually emerge, either determined by consumer demand or advancements made by the competitors. (Smith & Bates, 2003, p. 496)

Bob’s Stores is an American fashion retailer that sells discounted brand clothing. The company went bankrupt in 2003, but under new ownership implemented a Six Sigma strategy in 2006. (SBTI, 2008, p. 1) This implementation was preceded by a careful and multi-step investigation of relevant Six Sigma strategies to fashion retailers, and included contacting Six Sigma consulting firms and “holding an executive offsite to confirm strategic objectives.” (SBTI, 2008, p. 1) The main goal of the company was to “improve performance”, thereby prohibiting expansion until existing stores were deemed to be efficient and profitable. (SBTI, 2008, p. 1) This aim coincided to the delineation of specific projects as follows: the development of a vision statement; a definition of business critical factors for the next period; the generation of new ideas; ranking relevant projects; an overall strategy review; and final project decisions. (SBTI, 2008, p. 2) The specific results of these quality programs included the improvement of the seasonal floor set and making the purchase order process more efficient. (SBTI, 2008, p. 2) In the case of Bob’s Stores, Six Sigma as quality management program was therefore employed to improve the quality of existing stores. Unlike TJ’s appropriation of Six Sigma, with its emphasis on aggressive novelty, Bob’s Stores decided to improve their already existing stores and thus form a standard of quality from existing company resources. The two companies therefore demonstrate the versatility of Six Sigma strategies, insofar as Six Sigma is consistent with both highly aggressive and more conservative approaches.

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Free Health Care Industrys Quality Standards Essay Sample

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Introduction

Healthcare industry is increasingly facing a dynamic environment that requires constant quality improvement and management. In that respect, this report provides an overview of the need for quality management and the roles that different stakeholders play. In addition, the roles of different organizations and resources for QI are identified.

- Purpose of quality management in the health care industry and the reason it is needed Quality management for healthcare offers a framework that enables hospitals to organize, monitor, communicate as well as continuously improve their healthcare aspects. In addition, it is suitable given the current national healthcare environment that is highly structured and requires pursuit of quality. Further, the need to address industry competition through management of expenditures and service quality is a purpose served through quality management. (WHO, 2006) Other purposes that define why the quality management is needed include - Enhance quality and cost effectiveness. Costs and quality can be adequately addressed through quality management. In that respect, quality management can manage and lower costs. That is provided through the rational system that quality management creates for cost containment. (WHO, 2006) - Improve system synergy. With the increasing external pressure and costs, the various systems of the healthcare system including hospitals, physicians and insurers have been pursuing conflicting goals. That has led to increasing intra-industry friction as well as less than optimal capacity to address critical issues. Thus, embracing quality management can be a source of a common paradigm that can enhances capacity to address major issues. Further, it enhances partnership with stakeholders including practitioners, providers and payers as well as enhances service delivery. (Leape & Berwick, 2000) - Reason various health care stakeholders define the quality of care differently Various stakeholders have different needs and interests in the healthcare industry. In that respect, their views and perspective on quality differs depending on the crucial aspect of healthcare that their interest focus on. Key stakeholders in the industry would include service providers, patients, regulators, health workers, community leaders and financiers. Thus, stakeholders define healthcare quality differently in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, accessibility, acceptability and equity as well as safety depending on their focus. (WHO, 2006) - Roles involved with QI Quality improvement entails a call for management’s commitment to constant evaluation of organizational operations and innovation. In that respect, the central roles in the process include. (WHO, 2006) - Setting specifications for healthcare processes. - Monitoring performance against the set specifications. - Determining the cause of inappropriate variations like low productivity and quality waste. - Variation elimination that seeks to ensure that service delivery is in line with set standards. - Setting higher expectations after achieving previously set standards. (Leape & Berwick, 2000) - Areas that must be monitored for quality Quality monitoring should focus on key areas that are crucial for service delivery. In that respect, the following areas should be focused on as a way of improving quality. - Infrastructure

Infrastructure is crucial as suitable professional expertise and physical plant are necessary for enhancing delivery of high-quality services. (WHO, 2006)

- Treatment indications Addressing the problem of varying utilization of treatments and particular procedures is crucial in enhancing quality service delivery. Thus, QI should focus on achieving consensus through monitoring treatments indications. (Leape & Berwick, 2000) - Costs There should be a focus on costs of treatments and service delivery. That is because costs determine accessibility as well as the ability to meet stakeholders’ needs through quality service delivery. - Service delivery process Service delivery is the primary activity through which healthcare system is engaged. In that respect, a focus on improving the process is crucial in improving healthcare quality. - Providers (Physicians) outcomes - Accrediting and regulatory organizations involved in QI and their roles Various organizations are involved in enhancing quality improvement in the healthcare industry. They range from regulators who set guidelines and requirements to be met to the accrediting organizations. Accrediting organizations approve service delivery and ensure that standards, as well as guidelines, are followed through. That is achieved through provision of suitable reward systems for standards achievement. Such organizations and their roles include - American Nurses Crediting Center The organization is a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association and seeks to promote nursing and healthcare excellence through suitable accreditation of programs. Thus, through its practice of certifying as well as recognizing individual nurses in various specialties in addition to recognizing organizations that promote safety, it enhances quality improvement. Further, the organization seeks to promote positive work environments hence enhancing quality improvement. (ANCC, 2014) - Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education It is the national body that is responsible for accrediting professional degree programs in pharmacy in addition to providing continuing pharmacy education. Thus, through accreditation of continuing pharmacy education providers, the organization aims at improving healthcare service delivery in the industry by ensuring that all personnel are fully qualified. The organization also serves the role of assisting stakeholders that are seeking guidance on quality assurance as well as advancement in pharmacy education. The organization plays a crucial role that has led to increased demand for its service by international stakeholders including professional organizations, governments and quality assurance bodies. (ACPE, 2014) - Helpful resources and organizations affect QI Quality improvement is subject to factors that influence its goals achievement. In that respect, resources’ availability and organizations’ participation in the process impacts on QI success. In that view, the following is a summary of resources and organizations that have an impact on QI. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) The organization shapes public health priorities that have a large scale impact on healthcare quality by setting suitable guidelines and strategies that enhance healthcare quality. (Institute, 2014) - National public health improvement initiative (NPHII) The initiative supports local, tribal, territorial health departments with preventive as well as public health fund that make crucial changes and enhancements in organizations. In that respect, it supports the implementation of practices that seek to improve healthcare service delivery. (Institute, 2014) - The National public health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP) The program provides guidelines on performance standards that leverage on state, national and local partnerships that promote continuous QI and healthcare preparedness. - Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) It is a non-profit making organization that seeks to improve healthcare quality by advancing performance and quality of territorial, state and local health departments. Thus, it is among the institutions that define and influence quality standards in the industry. (Institute, 2014)

In view of the industry’s standards review regarding quality management and improvement, it has been identified that organizations need to manage quality for various purposes. Those purposes include the needs to manage costs and achieve system synergy. In respect to the varying definition of health quality by different stakeholders, it has been explained that each stakeholder defines quality in view of their interests ranging from safety, efficiency, acceptability and accessibility to equity. Further, the areas that need a focus on quality management and improvement have been identified to include infrastructure, service delivery, costs, treatment indications and the physicians’ outcomes. On the other hand, the roles of QI have been identified as including specifications setting, monitoring processes, variations identification and elimination as well as setting higher targets. In addition, the industry has regulators that influence QI hence a need to consider them in the organization’s effort to manage quality. They include ANCC and ACPE among others. Finally, in a bid to achieve quality improvement, it has also been identified that the organization needs to consider the possible effects of various organizations and resources that have an impact and can help with QI. Those organizations and resources can be useful guides for quality management and improvement and include CDC, PHAB, NPHII and NPHPSP. Thus, the organization can focus on the noted quality management purposes and areas as well as utilize the identified resources for Quality improvement.

ACCME. (2014). Other regulators. Retrieved from, http://www.accme.org/about- us/collaboration/other-regulatory-bodies ACPE. (2014). About Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Retrieved from, https://www.acpe-accredit.org/about/default.asp ANCC. (2014). About American Nurses Credentialing Center. Retrieved from, http://www.nursecredentialing.org/ Improvement. Retrieved from, http://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/Tools/ResourcesforPublicHealth.aspx Leape L. L. & Berwick D. M. (2000). Safe Health Care. BMJ. 320, 725-726. WHO. (2006). Quality of Care: A process of making strategic choices in health systems. Retrieved from, http://www.who.int/management/quality/assurance/QualityCare_B.Def.pdf

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Mandating Indoor Air Quality for Public Buildings: A Vital Public Health Strategy

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a fundamental yet frequently underestimated aspect of public health, especially highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This often-neglected facet impacts health, productivity, and learning. In an article published in SCIENCE , 40+ international experts, including Professor Joseph Allen, Director of Harvard’s Healthy Buildings program, call for national IAQ standards and provide a roadmap for healthier indoor spaces. In this blog, we provide three key takeaways from our perspective:

Article published in SCIENCE magazine: Title and authors

Key Takeaway 1: The Imperative for IAQ Standards

The global pandemic has underscored the critical role of IAQ in public health, revealing a glaring absence of regulated performance standards in public spaces.

The lack of legislated IAQ standards exposes indoor environments to pollutants and airborne disease risks. The article emphasizes the stark contrast between the rigorous regulations for outdoor air quality and the relatively lax stance on indoor air despite significant time spent indoors. Instituting robust IAQ standards is not just a matter of policy but a crucial step toward safeguarding health and well-being in indoor spaces.

Key Takeaway 2: Opportunities in IAQ Monitoring

Proactive IAQ monitoring is a gateway to managing healthier indoor environments.

The article highlights the transformative potential of monitoring key IAQ parameters such as PM2.5 and CO 2 utilizing advancements in lower-cost sensor technology. These tools allow us to “see” what is happening indoors, which helps identify and manage sources of indoor air quality issues. By actively monitoring IAQ, stakeholders can make informed decisions that not only address immediate health risks but also foster long-term well-being and productivity among indoor .

Key Takeaway 3: Consensus on Higher Ventilation Standards

The push for enhanced ventilation targets, well above the “acceptable” minimum, is gaining traction as a vital move to protect public health.

The SCIENCE article underscores a growing consensus among experts on the need to revise ventilation rates beyond the minimum “acceptable” targets that have been promoted for the past two decades. The group of international experts recommends 14 liters per second per person (14 l/s/p as a new minimum, which is approximately 30 cubic feet per minute per person (30 cfm/p). This new target aligns with previous recommendations. The Lancet COVID-19 Commission’s 2022 report advocates for ventilation rates that significantly exceed current standards, providing a “Good, Better, Best” strategy with 21, 30, and 30+ cfm/p thresholds, respectively. In the book “ Healthy Buildings, ” published in 2020, Allen and Harvard Business School professor John Macomber recommended 30 cfm/p as a target, highlighting the dual benefits of reducing exposure to respiratory pathogens and enhancing cognitive function performance.

The critical importance of IAQ has come to the forefront, with the pandemic serving as a catalyst for urgent action. The insights from the article provide a clear directive for implementing IAQ standards in public buildings, highlighting the benefits of such measures in enhancing health outcomes and reducing the public health burden of poor indoor air quality. By embracing a multifaceted strategy that includes indoor air quality monitoring, technological innovation, and regulatory support, we can make significant strides toward healthier, safer indoor environments for all. This endeavor is not just a public health mandate but a societal imperative.

Morawska, L., Allen, J.G., Bahnfleth, W., Bennett, B., Bluyssen, P.M., Boerstra, A., Buonanno, G., Cao, J., Dancer, S.J., Floto, A., Franchimon, F., Greenhalgh, T., Haworth, C., Hogeling, J., Isaxon, C., Jimenez, J.L., Kennedy, A., Kumar, P., Kurnitski, J., Li, Y., Loomans, M., Marks, G., Marr, L.C., Mazzarella, L., Melikov, A.K., Miller, S.L., Milton, D.K., Monty, J., Nielsen, P.V., Noakes, C., Peccia, J., Prather, K.A., Querol, X., Salthammer, T., Sekhar, C., Seppänen, O., Tanabe, S., Tang, J.W., Tellier, R., Tham, K.W., Wargocki, P., Wierzbicka, A., Yao, M. Mandating indoor air quality for public buildings. 2024. Science (383) , 1418-1420 .

DOI: 10.1126/science.adl0677

New Study Evaluates Indoor Air Quality and Air Cleaning Solutions in Homes Following Maui Wildfires

The surprising link between (indoor) air quality and mental health

The future of healthy buildings must be one where they are the norm, not the exception. Health cannot and should not be a luxury item, afforded to only those that can afford it. This applies to healthcare, working conditions, access to food, and, yes, the buildings where we live, work, play, pray, and heal.

Our goal is to improve the lives of all people, in all buildings, everywhere, every day. A healthy building is a human right.

Blueprint for mandating indoor air quality for public buildings in form of standards

A group of international experts led by QUT Professor Lidia Morawska has presented a blueprint for national indoor quality standards for public buildings, in an article in the journal Science .

The experts addressed setting standards for three key indoor pollutants -- carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), PM2.5 which are particles so small they can lodge deep in the lungs and enter the bloodstream -- and ventilation rate.

Distinguished Professor Morawska, from the QUT School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, internationally known, among others, for leading the appeal to the WHO to recognise the airborne transmission spread of the Covid-19 virus early in the pandemic, has continued to raise the importance of adequate indoor air quality for public spaces.

"Most countries do not have any legislated indoor air quality (IAQ) performance standards for public spaces that address concentration levels of IA pollutants," Professor Morawska said.

"To have practical value, IAQ standards must be implementable by designing new buildings that are built, operated and maintained to standard or retrofitted to meet the standards.

"While there is a cost in the short term, the social and economic benefits to public health, wellbeing and productivity will likely far outweigh the investment in cost in achieving clean indoor air."

Professor Morawska said CO 2 sensors were readily available, inexpensive and robust and should be used as a proxy to measure pathogens and CO 2 during human occupancy in a public space.

"CO 2 can serve as a proxy for occupant-emitted contaminants and pathogens and to effectively assess ventilation quality," she said.

"We propose a CO 2 concentration level of 800ppm with the proviso that outdoor concentration is used as a baseline and recognition of the fact that outdoor concentrations are increasing due to emissions to the atmosphere that outweigh removal.

"Another key indicator of air quality we addressed is the amount of PM2.5 and we propose the WHO air quality guidelines as a basis for indoor air quality standards but with a 1-hour averaging time, as the 24 hours of the WHO AQG is much longer than people usually spend in public places."

Professor Morawska said mechanical ventilation systems should remove and dilute human-emitted and other indoor-generated pollutants at a higher rate than their production so that they would not accumulate in indoor air.

"The technologies for measuring ventilation already exist in most modern mechanically ventilated buildings but monitoring ventilation rates in terms of clean air delivered to the space requires us to consider the number of people and their activities in the space to ensure adequate IAQ.

"A practical ventilation standard could be air from outside (assumed to be clean), or clean recirculated air to the entire occupied zone and with airflow not directed from one person to another.

"Additional measures in support of ventilation, such as air cleaning and disinfection, could greatly reduce the need to increase the outdoor air supply, which carries a heavy energy demand.

"Filtering recirculated air is an effective way to reduce concentration of, and thus our exposure to, airborne particulate matter, allergens and pathogens."

Air Quality
Environmental Science
Air Pollution
Environmental Policies
STEM Education
Educational Policy
Political Science
Carbon monoxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide sink
Automobile emissions control
Carbon cycle
Climate change mitigation

Story Source:

Materials provided by Queensland University of Technology . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

Lidia Morawska, Joseph Allen, William Bahnfleth, Belinda Bennett, Philomena M. Bluyssen, Atze Boerstra, Giorgio Buonanno, Junji Cao, Stephanie J. Dancer, Andres Floto, Francesco Franchimon, Trish Greenhalgh, Charles Haworth, Jaap Hogeling, Christina Isaxon, Jose L. Jimenez, Amanda Kennedy, Prashant Kumar, Jarek Kurnitski, Yuguo Li, Marcel Loomans, Guy Marks, Linsey C. Marr, Livio Mazzarella, Arsen Krikor Melikov, Shelly L. Miller, Donald K. Milton, Jason Monty, Peter V. Nielsen, Catherine Noakes, Jordan Peccia, Kimberly A. Prather, Xavier Querol, Tunga Salthammer, Chandra Sekhar, Olli Seppänen, Shin-ichi Tanabe, Julian W. Tang, Raymond Tellier, Kwok Wai Tham, Pawel Wargocki, Aneta Wierzbicka, Maosheng Yao. Mandating indoor air quality for public buildings . Science , 2024; 383 (6690): 1418 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl0677

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Quality Standards and Internal Audit Programs

What are the requirements of iso 9000.

Discussing the requirements of ISO 9000, it is essential to elaborate on what ISO 9000 is. ISO 9000 serves as the primary set of rules quality management has to follow when it comes to the establishment and definition of the international quality management standards. With the help of ISO 9000, companies can manage their quality more efficiently by documenting the exact structure of a quality system outlined in it; one of the main benefits of ISO 9000 is its universality and applicability to any organization regardless of its size, specialization, or industry in which it functions (“What is the ISO 9000 standards series?” 2017).

The primary requirements of ISO 9000 can be subdivided into several groups based on the topics that they cover. In particular, there are such aspects of requirements as management responsibility, quality system, design control, contract review, document control (that involves all the documents reflecting the interactions between customers and the company personnel, product descriptions, and traceability), inspections and tests, and quality records and documentation (“ISO 9000 requirements,” 2017).

Also, some of the most recent revision of ISO 9000 established that the essential principles of quality management on which it should focus include such factors as customer focus (that consists of the measures of customer satisfaction, needs, relationships, and expectations), leadership (that covers interactions of the management with the employees and their empowerment and recognition, as well as the general goals and vision of the company), engagement of people (that involves the company’s ability to include the people and use their abilities, promoting lifelong learning, professional improvement, and offering timely feedback and evaluation), evidence-based decision-making, process approach, relationship management (that includes the creation of an optimized system of resource and cost management based on collaboration and sharing), and improvement (that represents the aim at the constant progress that is promoted and celebrated) (“What is the ISO 9000 standards series?” 2017).

What is the role of the quality manager of the internal audit program?

In an internal audit program, quality managers follow the requirements outlined in ISO 9001:2008 that present a set of mandatory tasks such as control of documents and quality records, control of non-conforming products, corrective actions, and preventative actions (Tricker, 2016).

Just like all other procedures, actions, and processes in a company, internal audits need to aim to achieve and deliver the highest quality. To provide the services of the best quality, the leader of an internal audit program is required to have a clearly outlined plan highlighting the major objectives of the activity and aligning them with the tasks and processes that will be carried out to meet the goal (“Quality and internal audit,” 2017).

Also, the entire program must agree with the established code of ethics and avoid breaking the ethical rules and creating concerns. Moreover, the final stage of the internal audit program needs to include such aspects as the reflection on the work that was done, lessons learned during the experience, and plans and recommendations for future improvement (The Institute of Internal Auditors, 2012).

Also, for the internal audit tasks to go as planned and deliver high-quality performance, the entire activity needs to adhere to written policies and regulations, be focused on matching the expectations of all the stakeholder groups involved or affected, aim at adding value to the company performance and optimization of its processes and operations, and make sure that the resources gathered for the internal audit program are effectively managed and utilized during its implementation (The Institute of Internal Auditors, 2012).

Also, gaining external perspective on the work that was done is another important and highly beneficial action that could be accomplished with the help of specialized services, professionals, and organizations offering the review of the internal audit program regarding its quality and the degree to which it matched the standards of ethics and other main requirements.

What are the eight steps of the internal audit program?

Any internal audit program could be organized following the eight basic steps.

The first step is for the audit professionals to identify all the company areas that require auditing; this step could cover a wide range of complex and simple processes and activities. For higher efficiency, the processes that will be reviewed during an internal audit should be documented in an orderly manner with the inclusion of all their components and operations (Lotich, 2015).

The second step of an internal audit program is establishing the exact frequency with which auditing needs to be done. In particular, this step is important because different departments may need to be audited more often than others (Lotich, 2015).

The third step of the list involves creating an audit calendar – a structured and organized approach to the process that will allow making sure that all the tasks and functions are completed on time and according to the quality standards and instructions (Lotich, 2015). Also, a calendar will help create a clear plan of all the audits scheduled within a certain period.

The fourth step is informing the departments that will undergo audits about the programs and plans. This aspect is an important ethical action for the auditors; it also helps increase the program’s efficiency by engaging the employees and managers and letting them prepare all the necessary documents needed for the audit. An unscheduled surprise audit should only be carried out in cases when illegal or unethical activities are suspected in certain parts of a company (Lotich, 2015).

The fifth step involves preparing the professionals included in the audit program who need to approach the task with a deep knowledge of policies, documents, and practices that they will review (Lotich, 2015). A high level of professional readiness of the auditors will also help save the time of the program.

The sixth step includes the auditor’s interactions with the employees of the department under review to learn about the tasks that they have to carry out, familiarization with the working process, and the policies that regulate it (Lotich, 2015). Further, the employees’ perceptions and understanding of their tasks should be compared to the vision of their functions in the handbooks and policy books. The major function of this step is to establish whether or not additional training is required for the workers.

The next step involves the documentation of the audit results, findings, and observations. The purpose of this step is to reflect on the gaps in performance and compliance and the recommendations as to how these gaps can be addressed in the future (Lotich, 2015).

The final step is to report the findings and allow the reports to be reviewed by the top management and the company’s authorities to create a plan as to future actions.

What steps can a customer-oriented organization undertake to ensure that customer needs are effectively identified?

To identify and match the customers’ needs effectively, customer-focused companies need to fulfill various tasks. The first task is to identify the client segment and its major characteristics, demographic features such as age and gender, and the average level of income, professions, and preferred leisure activities. The next task is to understand their most commonly used shopping methods and their reasons to purchase the company’s services or goods. Finally, the company managers need to assess the customer’s expectations regarding the distributed goods or services, their readiness to pay, and the perceptions of the brand or company itself (“Identifying customer needs,” 2017).

What are the supplier’s evaluation steps?

When it comes to evaluating the suppliers, the companies could focus on the 10 Cs that represent the set of the most important features based on which the companies could adjust their decision-making regarding the choice of a supplier.

In particular, the 10 Cs include such aspects as commitment (the supplier’s dedication and integrity), capacity (the ability to match the expectations of the company), competency (the level of professionalism and experience presented by the supplier), consistency, cash (financial security is a necessity for a good supplier), cost (the cost of the product offered by the supplier), control (the supplier must be in control of their operations and policies), communication (the supplier’s readiness to stay in communication and inform about decisions or possible changes), cleanliness (dedication to sustainability and environmental policies), and culture (organizational culture based on strong and healthy values) (“10 Cs of Supplier Evaluation,” 2017).

What is the purpose of ISO 14000?

The primary purpose of ISO 14000 is to ensure that the companies adhere to the values and requirements of sustainable development and that their businesses do not produce excessive harm to the environment in the form of air pollution, soil, and water (Tricker, 2016). Practically, ISO 14000 functions in a manner very similar to that of ISO 9000 but in addition to making sure that the operations and practices of a company follow the norms and standards of quality, this set of standards is also designed to check how well the company’s values and operations are aligned with the most recent environmental policies and requirements.

The major goals of ISO 14000 are the following:

Ensuring the company’s compliance with the environmental policies and laws.
The implementation and maintenance of the environmental management system that establishes clean and green practices throughout all the operations and processes.
The provision of high-quality performance, services, and products to the customers and other stakeholders.
The alignment with self-established policies and visions.
Self-declaration of the company’s conformity with environmental standards and practices.
The engagement of third-party observers checking on the integrity and quality of the activities mentioned above (Tricker, 2016).

10 Cs of Supplier Evaluation . (2017). Web.

Identifying customer needs . (2017). Web.

The Institute of Internal Auditors. (2012). Quality assurance and improvement program. Web.

ISO 9000 requirements. (2017). Web.

Lotich, P. (2015). 8 steps to performing an internal audit . Web.

What is the ISO 9000 standards series? . (2017). Web.

Tricker, R. (2016). ISO 9001:2015 for Small Businesses (6th ed.). Routledge.

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One Thing Most Countries Have in Common: Unsafe Air

New research found that fewer than 10 percent of countries and territories met World Health Organization guidelines for particulate matter pollution last year.

A man covered his mouth and nose as he walks on a road with people in the background obscured by smoke and dust.

By Delger Erdenesanaa

Only 10 countries and territories out of 134 achieved the World Health Organization’s standards for a pervasive form of air pollution last year, according to air quality data compiled by IQAir , a Swiss company.

The pollution studied is called fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, because it refers to solid particles less than 2.5 micrometers in size: small enough to enter the bloodstream. PM2.5 is the deadliest form of air pollution, leading to millions of premature deaths each year .

“Air pollution and climate change both have the same culprit, which is fossil fuels,” said Glory Dolphin Hammes, the CEO of IQAir’s North American division.

The World Health Organization sets a guideline that people shouldn’t breathe more than 5 micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter of air, on average, throughout a year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed tightening its standard from 12 to 9 micrograms per cubic meter.

The few oases of clean air that meet World Health Organization guidelines are mostly islands, as well as Australia and the northern European countries of Finland and Estonia. Of the non-achievers, where the vast majority of the human population lives, the countries with the worst air quality were mostly in Asia and Africa.

Where some of the dirtiest air is found

The four most polluted countries in IQAir’s ranking for 2023 — Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Tajikistan — are in South and Central Asia.

Air quality sensors in almost a third of the region’s cities reported concentrations of fine particulate matter that were more than 10 times the WHO guideline. This was a proportion “vastly exceeding any other region,” the report’s authors wrote.

The researchers pointed to vehicle traffic, coal and industrial emissions, particularly from brick kilns, as major sources of the region’s pollution. Farmers seasonally burning their crop waste contribute to the problem, as do households burning wood and dung for heat and cooking.

China reversed recent gains

One notable change in 2023 was a 6.3 percent increase in China’s air pollution compared with 2022, after at least five years of improvement. Beijing experienced a 14 percent increase in PM2.5 pollution last year.

The national government announced a “war against pollution” in 2014 and had been making progress ever since. But the sharpest decline in China’s PM2.5 pollution happened in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic forced much of the country’s economic activity to slow or shut down. Ms. Dolphin Hammes attributed last year’s uptick to a reopening economy.

And challenges remain: Eleven cities in China reported air pollution levels last year that exceeded the WHO guidelines by 10 times or more. The worst was Hotan, Xinjiang.

Significant gaps in the data

IQAir researchers analyze data from more than 30,000 air quality monitoring stations and sensors across 134 countries, territories and disputed regions. Some of these monitoring stations are run by government agencies, while others are overseen by nonprofit organizations, schools, private companies and citizen scientists.

There are large gaps in ground-level air quality monitoring in Africa and the Middle East, including in regions where satellite data show some of the highest levels of air pollution on Earth.

As IQAir works to add data from more cities and countries in future years, “the worst might be yet to come in terms of what we’re measuring,” Ms. Dolphin Hammes said.

Wildfire smoke: a growing problem

Although North America is one of the cleaner regions in the world, in 2023 wildfires burned 4 percent of Canada’s forests, an area about half the size of Germany, and significantly impaired air quality.

Usually, North America’s list of most polluted cities is dominated by the United States. But last year, the top 13 spots all went to Canadian cities, many of them in Alberta.

In the United States, cities in the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states also got significant amounts of PM2.5 pollution from wildfire smoke that drifted across the border.

Risks of short-term exposure

It’s not just chronic exposure to air pollution that harms people’s health.

For vulnerable people like the very young and old, or those with underlying illnesses, breathing in large amounts of fine particulate pollution for just a few hours or days can sometimes be deadly. About 1 million premature deaths per year can be attributed to short-term PM2.5 exposure, according to a recent global study published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

The problem is worst in East and South Asia, as well as in West Africa.

Without accounting for short-term exposures, “we might be underestimating the mortality burden from air pollution,” said Yuming Guo, a professor at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and one of the study’s authors.

U.S. disparities widen

Within individual countries, air pollution and its health effects aren’t evenly distributed.

Air quality in the United States has generally been improving since the Clean Air Act of the 1970s. Last decade, premature deaths from PM2.5 exposure declined to about 49,400 in 2019, down from about 69,000 in 2010.

But progress has happened faster in some communities than in others. Racial and ethnic disparities in air pollution deaths have grown in recent years, according to a national study published this month .

The census tracts in the United States with the fewest white residents have about 32 percent higher rates of PM2.5-related deaths, compared with those with the most white residents. This disparity in deaths per capita has increased by 16 percent between 2010 and 2019.

The study examined race and ethnicity separately, and found the disparity between the census tracts with the most and least Hispanic residents grew even more, by 40 percent.

In IQAir’s rankings, the United States is doing much better than most other countries. But studies that dig deeper show air quality is still an issue, said Gaige Kerr, a research scientist at George Washington University and the lead author of the disparities paper published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. “There’s still a lot of work to do,” he said.

Dr. Kerr’s research showed that mortality rates were highest on the Gulf Coast and in the Ohio River Valley, in areas dominated by petrochemical and manufacturing industries. He also noted that researchers have seen a slight uptick in rates of PM2.5-related deaths starting around 2016, particularly in the Western states, likely because of increasing wildfires.

Delger Erdenesanaa is a reporter covering climate and the environment and a member of the 2023-24 Times Fellowship class, a program for journalists early in their careers. More about Delger Erdenesanaa

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Biden-Harris Administration finalizes strongest-ever pollution standards for cars that position U.S. companies and workers to lead the clean vehicle future, protect public health, address the climate crisis, save drivers money

Final standards will expand consumer choice in clean vehicles and build on historic progress in U.S. auto manufacturing under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

March 20, 2024

WASHINGTON – Today, March 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced final national pollution standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles for model years 2027 through 2032 and beyond. These standards will avoid more than 7 billion tons of carbon emissions and provide nearly $100 billion of annual net benefits to society, including $13 billion of annual public health benefits due to improved air quality, and $62 billion in reduced annual fuel costs, and maintenance and repair costs for drivers. The final standards deliver on the significant pollution reductions outlined in the proposed rule, while accelerating the adoption of cleaner vehicle technologies. EPA is finalizing this rule as sales of clean vehicles, including plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles, hit record highs last year.

EPA projects an increase in U.S. auto manufacturing employment in response to these final standards, consistent with the broader Biden-Harris Administration commitment to create good-paying, union jobs leading the clean vehicle future. Strong standards have historically contributed to the U.S. leading the world in the supply of clean technologies, with corresponding benefits for American global competitiveness and domestic employment. Since President Biden took office, companies have announced more than $160 billion in investment in U.S. clean vehicle manufacturing and the U.S. auto manufacturing sector has added more than 100,000 jobs.

These standards will provide greater certainty for the auto industry, catalyzing private investment, creating good-paying union jobs, and invigorating and strengthening the U.S. auto industry. Over the next decade, the standards, paired with President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda and investments in U.S. manufacturing, will set the U.S. auto sector on a trajectory for sustained growth. Additionally, the final standards will lower costs for consumers. Once fully phased in, the standards will save the average American driver an estimated $6,000 in reduced fuel and maintenance over the life of a vehicle.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will join President Biden’s National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi today at an event in Washington, DC to announce the final standards and how they build on President Biden’s historic climate and economic record. The event will be livestreamed starting at noon EDT.

“With transportation as the largest source of U.S. climate emissions, these strongest-ever pollution standards for cars solidify America’s leadership in building a clean transportation future and creating good-paying American jobs, all while advancing President Biden’s historic climate agenda,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan . “The standards will slash over 7 billion tons of climate pollution, improve air quality in overburdened communities, and give drivers more clean vehicle choices while saving them money. Under President Biden’s leadership, this Administration is pairing strong standards with historic investments to revitalize domestic manufacturing, strengthen domestic supply chains and create good-paying jobs.”

“President Biden is investing in America, in our workers, and in the unions that built our middle class and established the U.S. auto sector as a leader in the world,” said President Biden’s National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi . “The President’s agenda is working. On factory floors across the nation, our autoworkers are making cars and trucks that give American drivers a choice – a way to get from point A to point B without having to fuel up at a gas station. From plug-in hybrids to fuel cells to fully electric, drivers have more choices today. Since 2021, sales of these vehicles have quadrupled and prices continue to come down. This growth means jobs, and it means we are moving faster and faster to take on the climate crisis – all thanks to the President’s leadership.”

Statement from United Automobile Workers : “The EPA has made significant progress on its final greenhouse gas emissions rule for light-duty vehicles. By taking seriously the concerns of workers and communities, the EPA has come a long way to create a more feasible emissions rule that protects workers building ICE vehicles, while providing a path forward for automakers to implement the full range of automotive technologies to reduce emissions.”

Light- and Medium-Duty Vehicle Final Standards

The final standards announced today, the “Multi Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles,” build on EPA’s existing emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2023 through 2026. The standards continue the technology-neutral and performance-based design of previous EPA standards for cars, pickups, and vans, and leverage advances in clean car technologies to further reduce both climate pollution and smog- and soot-forming emissions. EPA is finalizing the same standard proposed for MY 2032 while allowing additional time for the auto sector to scale up clean vehicle manufacturing supply chains in the first three years covered by the rule.

Annually, the net benefits to society for the light- and medium-duty final rule are estimated to be $99 billion. The final rule is expected to avoid 7.2 billion tons of CO2 emissions through 2055, roughly equal to four times the emissions of the entire transportation sector in 2021. It will also reduce fine particulate matter and ozone, preventing up to 2,500 premature deaths in 2055 as well as reducing heart attacks, respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, aggravated asthma, and decreased lung function.

EPA received extensive feedback on the proposed rule, including through written comments, testimony at public hearings, and other stakeholder engagements. The final standards were informed by the best available data in the public record and rigorous technical assessments. Like the proposal, EPA’s final rule gives manufacturers the flexibility to efficiently reduce emissions and meet the performance-based standards through the mix of technologies they decide is best for them and their customers. EPA’s analysis considers a broad suite of available emission control technologies, and projects that consumers will continue to have a wide range of vehicle choices under the final rule, including advanced gasoline vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and full battery electric vehicles.

Compared to the existing MY 2026 standards, the final MY 2032 standards represent a nearly 50% reduction in projected fleet average GHG emissions levels for light-duty vehicles and 44% reductions for medium-duty vehicles. In addition, the standards are expected to reduce emissions of health-harming fine particulate matter from gasoline-powered vehicles by over 95%. This will improve air quality nationwide and especially for people who live near major roadways and have environmental justice concerns.

Investing in America’s Clean Transportation Future

The final rule reflects the significant investments in clean vehicle technologies that industry is already making domestically and abroad, as well as ongoing U.S. market shifts and increasing consumer interest in clean vehicles. The Biden-Harris Administration is also directly supporting communities across America in moving towards a cleaner transportation future, including by building a national network of EV chargers and alternative-fuel stations; ensuring domestic manufacturers have the critical minerals and materials they need to make EV batteries; and funding clean transit and clean school buses, with priority for underserved communities. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is focused on growing the American economy from the bottom up and the middle out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

Here's what leaders are saying about the final rule:

“I’ve always said Michigan automakers are the best in the world. And this is their moment,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI) . “I appreciate EPA’s commitment to engaging with our automakers and autoworkers to develop an ambitious but achievable final rule. It represents an opportunity for union workers to continue to build the vehicles of the future right here in the U.S. and tackle the climate crisis.”

“My priority will always be to protect American jobs and our environment, keep the United States at the forefront of automotive manufacturing, technology, and innovation, and keep our domestic industry strong and competitive,” said Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) . “The EPA has worked with all stakeholders to reach this final rule that includes hybrid and electric vehicles, and ensure these goals are achievable. It’s important to protect vehicle choice – the number of available models has doubled in the last three years, and in the last year sticker prices are down 20%. We need to continue to work on making sure that these vehicles are affordable to everyone, that we have the infrastructure in place to make them accessible and practical for consumers, and bring jobs back to the U.S. The bottom line is that the future of the industry must be created in America and driven by American workers, and we are all committed to working together toward that future.”

“The future is electric. Automakers are committed to the EV transition – investing enormous amounts of capital and building cutting edge battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, traditional hybrids and fuel cell vehicles that drive efficiency and convert petroleum miles to electric miles,” said John Bozzella, President and CEO, Alliance for Automotive Innovation . “Consumers have tons of choices. But pace matters. Moderating the pace of EV adoption in 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 was the right call because it prioritizes more reasonable electrification targets in the next few (very critical) years of the EV transition. These adjusted EV targets – still a stretch goal – should give the market and supply chains a chance to catch up. It buys some time for more public charging to come online, and the industrial incentives and policies of the Inflation Reduction Act to do their thing. And the big one? The rules are mindful of the importance of choice to drivers and preserves their ability to choose the vehicle that’s right for them.”

“This is a day to celebrate American achievement. The step EPA is taking today will slash climate pollution and air pollution,” said Amanda Leland, Executive Director of Environmental Defense Fund . “It will bring more jobs for workers, more choices and more savings for consumers, and a healthier future for our children. The U.S. has leapt forward in the global race to invest in clean vehicles, with $188 billion and nearly 200,000 jobs on the way. Jobs in communities across the country, in places like Michigan, Nevada, and Kentucky. These clean car standards will help supercharge economic expansion and make America stronger.”

“These standards make clear that securing America’s global leadership in manufacturing and securing a better future are 100% aligned,” said Albert Gore, Executive Director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association . “We have everything we need today to meet and exceed this standard, and that means more of the vehicles sold in America will be made in America.”

Learn more information about the final rule .

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Quality standards
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Biden-Harris Administration finalizes strongest-ever pollution standards for cars that position U.S. companies and workers to lead the clean vehicle future, protect public health, address the climate crisis, save drivers money

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