An investigation into the difficulties affecting the adoption of ISO 9000, a quality management system, in Libyan Service and manufacturing industries

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I DECLARATION --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------III LIST OF TABLES ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------VIII LIST OF FIGURES ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------IX ABBREVIATIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------X CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 1.0 INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 1.1 THE HISTORY OF THE QUALITY MOVEMENT ----------------------------------------------------------------------1 1.2 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RESEARCH --------------------------------------------------------------------------7 1.3 RESEARCH PROBLEM: ISO 9001 CERTIFICATION IN LIBYA ------------------------------------------------10 1.4 RESEARCH AIM AND OBJECTIVES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------11 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12 1.6 RESEARCH STRATEGY AND METHODOLOGY ------------------------------------------------------------------12 1.7 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------16 2.0 INTRODUCTION -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16 2.1 QUALITY CONCEPT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20 2.2 QUALITY PHILOSOPHY --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22 2.3 ISO 9000: BACKGROUND AND SERIES CONTENTS ----------------------------------------------------------24 2.4 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------28 2.5 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM-ISO 9000:2000 -----------------------------------------------------------29 2.5. 1 PRINCIPLE 1 CUSTOMER FOCUS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------31 2.5. 2 PRINCIPLE 2 LEADERSHIP -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------31 2.5. 3 PRINCIPLE 3 INVOLVEMENT OF PEOPLE -------------------------------------------------------------------32 2.5. 4 PRINCIPLE 4 PROCESS APPROACH ------------------------------------------------------------------------32 2.5. 5 PRINCIPLE 5 SYSTEM APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT ----------------------------------------------------33 2.5. 6 PRINCIPLE 6 CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------33 2.5. 7 PRINCIPLE 7 FACTUAL APPROACH TO DECISION MAKING ----------------------------------------------35 2.5. 8 PRINCIPLE 8 MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS --------------------------------------36 2.6 REASONS FOR SEEKING ISO 9001:2000 QMS CERTIFICATION-------------------------------------------36 2.7 BENEFITS OBTAINED BY ISO 9001:2000 QMS CERTIFICATION-------------------------------------------42 2.7. 1 CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------47 2.7. 2 IMPROVE MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE --------------------------------------------------------------------47 2.7. 3 INCREASE QUALITY AWARENESS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------48 2.7. 4 MARKETING TOOLS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------48 2.7. 5 REDUCTION OF CUSTOMERS‟ ASSESSMENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------49 2.8 THE BARRIERS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ISO 9000 QMS CERTIFICATION -49