Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

Chapter 4
Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries
Sayoko Uesu1

4-1. Introduction
Burkina Faso, a small land-locked state in West Africa, was the first Sub-Saharan country to
implement Quality Control Circle (QCC), an aspect of Japanese-style management (kaizen),2 bydonor support. Since 1989, the use of QCC has greatly contributed to improving individual andorganizational capacities in the major private and public enterprises and enabled them to survive theharsh economic conditions that followed liberalization and privatization in the 1990s.
In this process, the Burkinabé Association for Quality Management (Association Burkinabé pour leManagement de la Qualité: ABMAQ),3 a non-profit association, has been playing a key role indiffusing the QCC and other quality improvement techniques in Burkina Faso and in neighboring
countries. ABMAQ has adopted the following principles for QCC and has been helping develop thekaizen culture in Burkina Faso for over twenty years since its introduction.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Stimulating the motivation and participation of members
Respecting individual autonomy and voluntarism
Cultivating open mindedness and creativity
Respecting group dynamics
Highlighting roles of individuals in the organizations
Providing training for members
Promoting exchange between different circles

The objective of this chapter is two-fold: (i) to summarize the achievements and challenges of QCC in
Burkina Faso and (ii) to draw some implications for other developing countries willing to introduce
QCC and kaizen. Most of the information came from field surveys conducted in November 2009 andJanuary 2011 at Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, complemented by a literature review.

1

Research Associate, GRIPS Development Forum, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS).
The Japanese word kaizen refers to a wide range of activities aimed at improving quality and productivity such as the 5S,
just-in-time production and suggestion systems etc. Kaizen is also one of the basic concepts of the Toyota Production System(TPS). See GRIPS Development Forum (2009), Chapter 1, for details.
3
The ABMAQ is an organization created in 2002 from the former Association Burkinabé des Cercles de Qualité (ABCERQ:
Burkina Faso QCC Association), which was established in 1992. In this chapter, we will use the name ABCERQ for theactivities of the organization during the 1990s and the name ABMAQ for its activities in 2002 and later. The expression
ABCERQ/ABMAQ will be used for overlapping periods.
269Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

4-2. What is QCC?
4-2-1. QC circle (QCC)
QCCs are small groups engaged in quality improvement activities in the same workplace. As a part ofcompany-wide quality improvement, QCC aims to foster self- and mutual education by helping all
members participate in the continuous improvement of their products and services.
QCC has its origin in the United States (US); the original model aims to reduce the percentage of
defective products by using a set of simple statistical analysis tools. At the time of its introduction to
Japan in the 1950s, the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) 4 had revised the imported
quality control methods and tailored them into a unique model. While the use of statistical tools is acommon feature between US and Japanese models, one of the major differences is the level of worker
participation. In Japan, individual workers have the responsibility and are allowed to take the initiativein solution of their own problems, with the assistance of management and technical personnel. Thisdegree of worker responsibility and cooperation appears to be the unique contribution of Japanesemanagement and workers to the process (JETRO, 1981).
The advantages of QCC are summarized in Table 4-1 below. QCC activities contribute not only toincreasing profitability but to bringing changes in organizations as a result of work-process
improvement and empowerment at the individual level.
Table 4-1. Advantages of QCC Activities
Individual
level

Increased confidence; better relationships with colleagues and with management; customer
orientation(New discoveries through creative activities; understanding of the basic approach andprocedures for solving problems; ability to maintain the high quality product and service forthe benefits of society)
Management Reduction in time required for shop floor supervision; establishment of smooth work
level
procedures; improvement of the labor-management relationship, etc.
(QCCs provide an important means of human resource development and skills training; raise
the cost awareness; facilitate the sharing of problems and improve abilities to solve them)
Organization Improvement in the quality of products and services, productivity, competitiveness andlevel
profitability
Source: Based on the information provided on the JUSE website.

As for their impact on the overall quality of management, while QCC has significant effects, it isgenerally centered on solving “many trivial problems” (Lillrank and Kano, 1989). Meanwhile, basedon their case study on QCC at the Nippon Steel Corporation Kimitsu Works (QCC was called “JK(jishu kanri, self-management) activities” in Japanese), Nonaka and Yonekura (1984) analyzed some
4

JUSE was established in May 1946. In 1962, it was reorganized and authorized as the foundation of a juridical body by the
Science and Technology Agency (reformed Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) of Japanese
government. The QCC Headquarters of Japan is located within JUSE, and 9 regional offices to facilitate and assist QCC
throughout Japan.

70Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

key features that promoted the organizational learning in the company and suggested that JK activities
had innovative effects on the shop floor organization, which far exceeded mere improvement of theworking environments.
Although QCC or kaizen activities are normally introduced by the decision of top management,
national promotion organizations also play crucial roles in promoting these activities. In Japan, therole of JUSE was particularly important, as there were hardly any recognition for quality andproductivity in the country at the time of introduction in 1950s. Lillrank and Kano (1989) assessed that“it (JUSE) has served as the main agent of change and innovator for QC and related management
systems. … it has been able to establish neutral discussion forums, where companies, evencompetitors, can come together and learn from each other.…” Since 1962, JUSE has been providing
numerous manuals and trainings to the member companies throughout Japan and organizing theannual quality awards at national and international levels.5
Thus, establishing a national infrastructure (policy and/or organization) that supports QCC (or kaizen
activities) at the national level is crucial, to support and complement the multilayered efforts in theindividual companies. (Figure 4-1)
Figure 4-1. Systems and Organizations Supporting QCC

Source: Lillrank and Kano (1989).

A large number of studies are available on factors that facilitate the establishment of QCC. Recently,
using case studies of Chinese companies, Zhang (2009) grouped these factors into three categories: (i)support system, (ii) activation system and (iii) production system or work system.6 Major factors
pointed out by Zhang are shown in Table 4-2 below.
5

The latest International Convention on QCC was organized in Yokohama, Japan in September 2011, gathering 152 QCCs
from 13 countries, including India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and others. Zambia was the only participantfrom Sub-Saharan Africa (QCC is being promoted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project).
6
Since past studies mainly focused on Japanese companies, Zhang’s classification includes personnel management systems
as a fourth category, which is omitted since it is irrelevant to the subject matter of this chapter.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

Table 4-2. Factors that Facilitate the Establishment of QCC
Support system• A clear vision• Company-wide support system• Division of roles and guidance by staff members• Training (management, engineering) to workers

Activation system• Balance between organizational coercion and individual initiative• Support by staff organizations• Creation of opportunities for exchange• Incentive system• Assessment and feedback• Sharing and standardization of results

Production systemor work system• Delegation of authority and workers’ participation in designingand planning processes• Exchange of information between departments

Source: Adapted from Zhang (2009).

Table 4-3 and Figure 4-2 show the functions and roles of different elements and actors within an
organization. Various manuals7 have been created to specify the procedures required to organize QCC
in organizations.
Table 4-3. Functions and Roles at Different Levels
TOP

HARDWARE

SOFTWARE

HUMANWARE

Basic investment of money,
time and facilities

Establish a QC policy
and organization

Encouragement, Example,
Enthusiasm

Maintain the promotion
organization

Management Support

MIDDLE

Promotion style:
Advice and help to QCCFACILITATOR
Source: Lillrank and Kano (1989).

Figure 4-2. QCC within an Organization

Source: Fukui et al. (2003).
7

For details, see the Japanese manual (published by JUSE) and the English manual (Fukui et al., 2003) created based on theexperience in Burkina Faso and Asian countries.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

4-2-2. Applicability for developing countries
Since 1970s, an increasing number of Japanese firms expanded their business overseas, and inspiredby their successes, QCC were successively introduced in other countries. According to JUSE, QCC
was introduced in over seventy countries, mainly in developed countries and Asian countries.8 The
spread of QCC to developing countries was not predicted in early years and there were skeptical views
that its introduction to other countries would be impossible because of cultural barriers and level ofdevelopment. However, Wilson et al. (1995) points out that these Japanese continuous improvement(kaizen) are suitable also for developing countries, as it is “primarily an endogenous form ofprogress,” since “managers and workers of the firm are the driving force for most improvements,” thus
“the production system is gradually tailored to suit the firm’s need and the local environment.” It also
“offers opportunity for capital savings that would not be realized through alternative forms oftechnical progress.” Another aspect is the similarity with the Japanese economy at the time of
introduction. Japan was still poor and Japanese companies did not have enough financial and humanresources to assign quality control nor to discard large amounts of defective products (Lillrank andKano, 1989).
Many studies on kaizen activities were conducted from the late-1980s to 1990s,9 and initial concern
was focused on its transferability at firm-level.10 Subsequently the focus was turned to examine awider range of aspects, including socio-cultural factors.11 For example, in his study on the possibilityof introducing the Total Quality Management (TQM) system into low-income countries (Sub-SaharanAfrican countries in particular), Perry (1997) argued that despite some similarities found between the
traditional collectivism in Africa and the TQM system based on small-group activities, it was difficult
to transplant the system into Africa in its original form, thereby suggesting the need to reorganize the
TQM system to match the socio-cultural context in Africa.
4-3. Introduction of QCC to Burkina Faso
4-3-1. Overview of the society and economy of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a small land-locked country in West Africa, with a population of fifteen million, an
area of 274,000km2 and per-capita GDP of USD517 (2009).12 It is one of the poorest countries in the8

http://www.juse.or.jp/e/qc/01_qc.html
For examples in Asian countries, see Ichimura (1988) and Umeda ed. (1996); for examples of development support projects
for transfer to Latin American and Asian countries, see GRIPS Development Forum (2009) Chapters 3 and 5.
10
According to Wilson et al. (1995), who examined examples of the kaizen (continuous improvement) system applied by
UNIDO in companies in developing countries, the most serious impediment to the adoption of the kaizen system wascompany-level (management-level) factors.
11
See Cole (1989) or Lillrank and Kano (1989) for details.
12
Figures cited are from Burkina Faso At A Glance issued by the World Bank.
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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

world; 44.8% of its population living below the poverty line and the country ranks 177th among 182
countries in the Human Development Index (2009). The agricultural sector accounts for 33.3% of its
GDP, the industrial sector 22.4% and the service sector 44.4%. Due to a decrease in cotton production
and world economic downturn, GDP growth rate of Burkina Faso remained at 3.5% in 2009.13 In theindustrial sector, manufacturing accounts for 13.6% of GDP. The main manufactured goods are foods,
cigarettes, textiles and tires, made in Ouagadougou or Bobo-Dioulasso and most of them are sold indomestic market.14 A total of 11.5% of its labor force is engaged in business in the informal sector,
with the percentage of workers employed in the formal sector remaining at a very low level (2.8%).15
Burkina Faso’s population is composed of more than sixty ethnic groups, including the Mossi (48%),
who hold the leading role in the country’s politics and economy, followed by the Peul and the Bobo.
Despite its complex ethnic composition, there are no ethnic conflicts in Burkina Faso observed inother African countries. People are generally well mannered and industrious. The greatest asset of
Burkina Faso, an inland country with scarce resources, is its people.
Burkina Faso became independent from France in 1960, and from 1983 to 1987, radical socialist
policies were implemented by then President Thomas Sankara, who seized power through a coup. The
Sankara government took the initiative to reorganize the economic management system and adopted
drastic policy measures aimed at reducing the functions of government agencies and allocating surplus
to villages. 16 However, dissatisfied groups became stronger as well, which finally led to theassassination of Sankara in 1987. Since then, the country has been governed under the stable
leadership of the current President Blaise Compaoré, who came into power after the assassination of
the former president. In 1991, Burkina Faso accepted the structural adjustment policy of the WorldBank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and changed its direction from socialism toliberalization. Against this backdrop, QCC were introduced to the country as a pilot project by theWorld Bank, so as to mitigate the impact of economic liberalization on local firms.
4-3-2. Transfer of QCC
4-3-2-1. Overview of the support program of the World Bank in the 1990s
Having adopted the structural adjustment policy, the Burkinabé government had to undertake drastic
economic reorganization by streamlining and privatizing state-run companies whose inefficient
13
Burkina Faso is a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest
Africaine: UEMOA) and its monetary and industrial policies are decided at the UEMOA level. The local currency of Burkina
Faso is the CFA franc (FCFA) and its exchange rate is fixed at: 1 euro = 655.957 FCFA.
14
Of 506 private companies, 155 are manufacturers (World Bank, 2006, Table 19).
15
World Bank (2006)16
For this reason, Burkina Faso had a very low foreign debt ratio compared with other countries and continued to object tothe adoption of the structural adjustment policy.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

management imposed a heavy burden on its fiscal base. The local private firms were also being
exposed to a competitive environment, and they needed to strengthen their capacities.
QCC was thus introduced into the country to improve the productivity of local companies and toprovide them with a means of surviving difficult economic times. The project also aimed to establish a
special organization (initially named ABCERQ, currently ABMAQ; see 4-3-2-2 for details) to promote
QCC, thereby developing local human resources. It started as a pilot project in 1989,17 and in
response to the great enthusiasm of the Burkinabé government and pilot firms, scaled up to technicalcooperation attached to the first Structural Adjustment Loan by the World Bank in 1991. The Policyand Human Resources Development (PHRD) Fund, contributed by the Japanese government, wasused to support the project. Table 4-4 provides a summary of the support programs.
It was a long-term technical transfer from 1989 to 2000, during which two Japanese experts of JUSE
(Mr. Ichiro Miyauchi from 1989 to 2000 and Mr. Noriharu Kaneko from 1995 to 2000) regularly
visited Burkina Faso (four visits for a total of eight weeks per year) to provide skills training andseminars for managers and workers. The unique characteristic of the skills training of Mr. Miyauchi,
an experienced expert in introducing QCC overseas, was “not to teach answers, but to give workers
tools and methods to sort out the problems by themselves.” Although it was a very time-consuming
approach, his method brought a change in the way of thinking, and convinced workers and managers
that solving problems by themselves was the best way to improve productivity and product quality. It
was a real eye-opener for many of the Burkinabé people who had been used to calling for outside
experts and supplies (often expensive foreign technicians and imported goods) to solve problems. This
explains why some companies are still actively engaged in QCC even after the completion of the
project in 2000.

17

QCC practices are not common at the World Bank and its introduction to Burkina Faso was more or less accidental. It was
initiated by Mr. Hiroaki Suzuki, Japanese World Bank staff, who visited Burkina Faso in 1987 on a mission to reform
state-run companies (Mr. Suzuki was in charge of the African region at the time). Mr. Suzuki was invited by a staff memberof the counterpart organization, the Ministry of Industry, to a volleyball game, which was held as a recreational event
attended by all members of the ministry. Watching members, both management and staff, enjoy the game regardless of rank,
Mr. Suzuki thought of introducing QCCs to develop a participatory management approach in Burkina Faso.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

Table 4-4. Overview of Support by the World Bank, Japanese PHRD Fund and JUSE
PeriodSupport program

Pilot phase
1989–1990:(1989 to 1991) USD50,000 funded by the Special Project Preparation Facility(SPPF) of IDA/World Bank
(1) Seminars on QCC; and(2) Introduction of QCC into five pilot companies
1990–1991:
USD250,000 funded by the SPPF
(1) A QCC promotion unit created within the Ministry of Export
Promotion;(2) Training (in Japan and Burkina Faso);(3) On-site skills training in pilot companies;(4) QCC newly introduced into five companies; and(5) Preparations for introduction into public organization,
including creating manuals

Major events

1990:• QCC Promotion Unitestablished

1991:• Adoption of the structuraladjustment policy by the
Burkinabé government(transition toliberalization policy)• First QC convention held
in Burkina Faso

Phase 1 (June USD1 million funded from the Japanese PHRD Fund as
1991 to 1998) technical cooperation to complement the first Structural
1992:
Adjustment Loan of the World Bank
• ABCERQ establishedTechnological June 1991 to February 1993:
transfer to local (1) Support for the QCC Promotion Unit within the Ministry of
1994:
companies andIndustry, and establishment of the ABCERQ;• Currency devaluation
organizational (2) Training (in Japan and Burkina Faso);(50%)
reinforcement (3) On-site skills training in nine companies;(4) QCC newly introduced into companies and a pilot projectMid-1990s to mid-2000s:
for public organizations;• Privatization of major(5) Analysis of socio-cultural and organizational aspects related
state-run companies
to the introduction of QCC into Burkina Faso;(6) Creation of manuals designed for introduction into other
African countries in the future; and(7) Seminars
Phase 2
(November1998 to June
2000)

USD700,000 funded from the Japanese PHRD Fund astechnical cooperation to complement the second Structural 2000:
Adjustment Loan
• Introduction of UEMOA(1) On-site skills training for private companies;
extra-territorial customs(2) Introduction into public organizations; and• Formulation of the PRSP
(3) Enhancement of the capacity of the ABCERQ

Source: Compiled by author, based on Suzuki (1993).

4-3-2-2. Impact at the firm level
Table 4-5 lists companies that adopted QCCs. Most of the supported companies were state-run
enterprises to be privatized or private large manufacturing companies. Except for SOFITEX, a (then)state-run company engaged in the production and processing of cotton, the production volume oftargeted companies accounted for a very small percentage of GDP. However, they had important
effects on the formal economy; four pilot companies accounted for more than 50% of the productionin the industrial sector.18

18
These formal sectors provide employment for only 4% of the labor force and private companies employ only 1.5% (World
Bank, 2006).

76

Project period

ABCERQ/ABMAQ

Manufacturing of soap, etc.

Beverage manufacturing

TextilesPlastics

SN-CITEC (govt→private)

SAVANA

Faso Fani (govt→private)

Faso Plast (govt→private)

77

1998 -

Cement manufacture

Medical products

SectorLocal hospital

Pension for government officials

Social security

Telecommunications corporation

Medical service

Electric power corporation

Postal corporation

CIMAT (govt→private)

MEDIFA

Public organizations

CNF-YO

CARFO

CNSS

ONATEL (2006 private)

OST

SONABELSONAPOST

Adopted but not established
on a permanent basis

Activities suspended in 1997

Source: Based on the interviews conducted in 2009 and 2011.
Note: Companies where interviews were conducted in 2009 and 2010 are underlined. There are other govt. organizations which have introduced QC Circle activities on a pilot basis.
However, these organizations have practiced QC Circle activities only for a short period and are omitted from the table.

1992 -

1995 -

1992 - Introduced through a pilot project 1995 - company-wide development??

2008 - QCC activated2008 - Quality improvement policy formulated

QCC suspended in 2006; 2008 - ISO

QCC suspended in 2006

Quality improvement policy formulated in 2009??

2003 1998 -Manufacturing of insecticide

SAPHYTO??

Went out of business in 2001
2001 - TQM; QCC suspended in
2007

Production and processing of cotton 1990 -1994 -??

Shutdown in 1999?

Went out of business in 2009
Currently ISO

2004 QCC suspended in 2007

Chemicals

1992 -

1990: training not activatedNot activated; changed to FasoPlast

1993 -

Functions transferred gradually to holding QC
conventions, etc., after the establishment of the
ABCERQ in 1992－
Reorganized and renamed as
Training for member
ABMAQ in 2002, training,
companies, holding QC
holding QC conventions, ISOconventions, etc.
training started in 2006-

Technology transfer to
ABCERQ and skills
training for companies

Skills training for companies, establishment and ToTof secretariat (ABCERQ), QC conventions, overseas
training
Support for the establishment of the ABCERQ2001 to present (2009)

Phase 2
1998 to 2000

Phase 1
1991 to 1998

SOFITEX (govt→semi-govt)

1990 -

QCC
ISO-

Pilot phase1989 to 1991
Skills training for 5
companies, QC
conventions,overseas training
Pilot CP

Winner Industrie (private)

SN-SOSUCO (govt→private) Sugar refinement

Printing

Manufacturing of motorcycles

SIFA (govt→private)

INB (govt → private)

Manufacturing of tires

SectorSAP Olympique (private)

Manufacturingindustry

Implementation

Government(1992 to present)

Financial and technical support

Project

World Bank/JUSE

Organization

Table 4-5. List of Companies that Have Adopted QCC

-

{

Δ
-

~

-

~
~
~
-

-

~

Current status of
QCC

Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries

Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries(1) Initial assessment in 1990s
Initially, there were many concerns and impediments at the shop floor level. At first, many thoughtthat the introduction of Japanese-style quality control would not be feasible in a low-income country
with such a different cultural and social setting. However, Burkina Faso (like its neighbors) has asocio-cultural background that facilitates participatory activities in small groups; for instance, Dia(1996) showed similarities between Naam activities (mouvement Naam) developed in rural areas and
QCC. More recently, Illa et.al. (2009) argues that the fundamental principles of QCC have much incommon with the African traditional belief, “Ubuntu,” which can be translated as “unity.”
The evaluation by the Burkinabé government and the ABCERQ also revealed that the expectedconcerns were not posing serious impediments to the introduction of the new practices (Sanou, 1995).
At first, the relationship between labor and management was deteriorating and the ABCERQ had adifficult time reassuring workers who had been fears about QCC as a new means of exploitation by
management. However, labor unions in Burkina Faso were too weak to boycott the activities. There
were also concerns that workers’ education level might affect the daily QCC activities. However, theireducation level did not have any serious effects on the project as was initially expected; 80% of theworkers at the pilot companies (SIFA, SAP, CITEC and SAVANA) were illiterate, but some companies(e.g., SIFA) provided reading lessons. Another concern was about ethnic conflicts, but ethnic
differences did not constitute major impediments in Burkina Faso.
Meanwhile, learning the 5S, the fundamental principles of QCC and kaizen, required a considerable
amount of time. For instance, although the Burkinabé people are orderly and have well-developed
sanitation habits, it took three years for workers to understand and practice seiketsu (cleanliness). Thisis partly because of the poor access to water, but mainly because of the difference of standard ofcleanliness with the Japanese people, who has passion for cleanliness. Under such circumstances, it
was necessary to devise ways to bridge those gaps, which were removed gradually by creatingawareness for the required quality standard.
Suzuki (1993) cites seven factors as keys to the success of the QCC project in 1993. One was strong
ownership by and commitment from the government. Although QCC was introduced by the World
Bank, its nationwide development was made possible by the strong ownership of the government at
the time. The other important factors were coherence and complementarity of the support with thestructural adjustment loan. In addition, gradual approach and continuous advice by experts werecritical in promoting and sustaining the QCC among the local firms. Giving stimulus to the members
were also important, such as the participation to the QCC conventions and trainings (including training
in Japan). Finally, periodic monitoring by the World Bank was crucial in ensuring the project
implementation and making the needed adjustment to the local context.

78

Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
Lessons Learned and Implications for Other Developing Countries(2) Impact of QCC after twenty years
Now let us look at the impact of QCC on firm levels. As Table 4-5 shows, companies are grouped into
three categories:•

Companies with successful QCC (marked with a double circle (~) or a circle ({) in thetable): Companies with active and successful QCC are SAP Olympique, SN-SOSUCO,SOFITEX and Winner Industrie. Their common characteristics are the commitment atmanagement level and an effective incentive system. For instance, SOFITEX awards a
training trip to Mali to circles that have won prizes at national QCC conventions. Anotherexample is the company CNSS; as a result of the reassignment of quality control managers,
QCC was recently activated and CNSS plans to start a more comprehensive quality program
based on QCC experience. It also intends to rename its QCCs as “process teams (équipe deprocessus).”•Companies and organizations where QCC are stagnant (marked with a triangle ‘∆’ or a bar ‘-’
in the table): The majority of the companies and organizations belong to this category. Manyof them do not have policies on quality management and often adopt various approaches,causing confusion within their organizations. Common to these companies are a lack ofcommitment on the part of management and a lack of incentive (aversion to unpaid overtime
work and lack of recognition by other people).

•

Companies that had successful QCC but have gone out of business due to external factors(Faso Fani, SIFA)

After twenty years, QCC are still active in five out of about twenty companies. This number suggeststhat interest in QCC seems to have faded over time. It is partly because of the scope of the World Bank
project; while the Japanese experts aimed at introducing TQM, training at the shop floor level took
longer than expected and the project ended without scaling up to the managerial level. United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (2005) assessed that despite some importantachievements and the important role played by the ABMAQ, the results of QCC varied between
companies and were judged “mixed.”
Yet some of the companies have scaled up QCC to TQM, a more comprehensive approach, or moved
to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification. Another example is the now
defunct SIFA, 19 which has performed knockdown production for Yamaha and other motorcycle
19

Experts from Yamaha were providing skills training at factories apart from the Japanese experts of JUSE.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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companies and has won prizes at several QCC conventions, some workers and engineers have started
their own businesses based on their QCC experiences. Now a number of firms and government
agencies have realized the importance of quality and increased productivity to improve
competitiveness (Sawadogo, publication year unknown),20 yet many of them lack a clear guidance on
its implementation.
Table 4-6 shows the current situation of companies and organizations belonging to category (1).
Although small and medium-sized companies rarely become members of the ABMAQ due to thefinancial constraints, they are able to participate in training provided by the ABMAQ and otherorganizations. For comparison, we included small and medium-sized non-member companies(SODEPAL and UCOBAM) that are receiving support for quality improvement from other donors(European Commission (EC) and UNIDO). (see Table 4-7)
Given the very difficult economic conditions aggravated by the political turmoil in Ivory Coast andthe low cotton price, all the managers highlighted the importance of quality and saw QCC as a meansof survival. Currently many of them have undertaken the process for ISO certification along with
QCC, making it easier than for other companies that have to start from scratch.21 Meanwhile, theyalso raised the concern that insufficient commitment and support from top management is the biggest
challenge, which could possibly undermine the future of QCC. In addition, the relationship between
the QCC and ISO is blurry and has led to some confusion.

20
21

Case studies on companies such as Air Burkina and Burkina Bail.
Based on an interview conducted at SAP.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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Table 4-6. Key Features of Companies with Active QCC or Kaizen

SAP
Olympique

SN-SOSUCOSOFITEX

WinnerIndustrie

Business overview

QCC

Manufacture and sale ofmotorcycle tires (1974 topresent)
Capital: 980 million FCFA
No. of employees: 150 regular
employees plus about 200
seasonal workers

One of the pilot projectcompanies (1989 topresent); 13 QCCs activeat present

Features quality of its products;
has the largest domestic
market share and exports
products to neighboring
countries
Sugar refinement (1972 topresent)
Capital: 6 billion FCFA
No. of employees: about 4,500(regular employees plus
seasonal workers)
Privatized in 1998; acquired by
IPS (WA), a company group of
the Aga Khan Foundation
Production and processing ofcotton (1979 to present)
Capital: 4.4 billion FCFA
No. of employees: 1,184
regular employees plus 2,522
seasonal workers
Partially privatized in 1999
(government’s stock share: to35% from 65%); the cotton
sector liberalized in 2004
Production of battery and otherchemical products (1973 topresent)

SONABEL

Electric power corporation(1954 to present)
No. of employees: 1,452

CNSS

Social security corporation(1955 to present)
No. of employees: 849 regular
employees plus 64 contract
workers

Introduced QCC activities
in 1994; 32 QCCs activeat present (2009)
Only company that has a
special budget for QCC
activities (ordinary budget
for 2009: 12 million FCFA;
investment: 4 million
FCFA)
Introduced QCC in May
1993; more than 1,000
staff members havereceived training (2003);
57 QCCs active (2005).

Other quality control
approaches; support
by other donors
A quality control division
created in 1984
Company selected forthe quality improvement
program (for ISO
9001:2000) of the
UEMOA since 2004

Company selected forthe quality improvement
program (for ISO
9000:2000) of EU,
UNIDO and UEMOA(economic effects byobtaining ISO
9000:2000 estimated tobe 2.8 billion FCFA)
Started an initiative
aimed at obtaining ISO
9001/2000 in 2004

The current ABMAQ
president is the quality
control manager of
SOFITEX
Introduced QCC in 1999;
5 QCCs active at present(2009); 104 employees
have received training in
the past.
QCC introduced in stages
since 1992; three-fourthsof the staff members havereceived training; 7 to 8
QCCs active as of 2009
Introduced QCC in 1992;
stagnant for a while, but
circles became active
again in 2008 after
replacement of the quality
control manager; 39
QCCs active at present

5S

Activities aimed at
obtaining ISO
certification started in
2008/09
Transition to acomprehensive
approach (TQM) based
on QCC activities withthe aim of obtaining ISO
9001:2000; formulated
quality improvement
policies in 2009

Source: Compiled based on Sanou (1995), Lim (1999), ABMAQ Annual Activity Reports (2004-2008) and company interviews
conducted in 2009 and 2011.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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Table 4-7. Key Features of SMEs Implementing Kaizen
SODEPALUCOBAM

Food processing industry (1978to present)
No. of employees: about 30
Non-member of the ABMAQ
A company established by awoman entrepreneur, which
manufactures bread, biscuits anddietary supplements; also
develops CSR activities
Production and export ofagricultural products (1968 topresent), agro-processing (fruit
jam etc)
Non-member of the ABMAQ

Has not introduced QCC(received training provided
by the ABMAQ through a
support program of
UNIDO)

5S, TQM, HACCP, etc.;
quality competition held
annually within thecompany; all employees
receive quality
management training
Support by UNIDO (since1997) and EC

QCC partially introduced

Collects products (kidney beans,etc.) from rural areas and exports
to EU markets

Technological support
based on the EC-ACP
agreement (achievementof standards for products
exported mainly to the
EU market); Italy (fairtrade)

Source: Based on interviews conducted in 2009 and 2011.

4-3-2-3. Steps towards institutionalization (role of the ABCERQ/ABMAQ)
Numerous trainings and seminars in Japan and other East Asian countries (Singapore and Malaysia)
inspired and convinced Burkinabé participants from public and private sectors to create their own
national organization for promoting QCC. The creation of ABCERQ (Association Burkinabé pour les
Cercles de Qualité et le Management Participatif, current ABMAQ) in 1992 (certified as a public
corporation in 1995), was a first attempt in Sub-Saharan Africa and it played a key role in promoting
quality improvement in Burkina Faso and neighboring countries. The upper portion of Table 4-5
shows the process of transferring knowledge and technology.
(1) Initial stage of institutional building
Initially the process started with a three-person QCC Promotion Unit in the Ministry of Export
Promotion, established during the pilot phase. This unit served as the focal point, taking an active partin the transfer of QCC with the support of the Ministry of Export Promotion, which later became the
Ministry of Industry. During the subsequent phase 1, intensive efforts were made to train local
personnel and to strengthen the firms. The ABCERQ eventually took over the task of the promotion
unit. It was also inspired by the Japanese experience in 1950s, referred in section 4-2-1.
The ABCERQ was established as a non-government, non-profit association in order to provide
trainings to private companies. Mr. Justin Bayili,22 one of the first members in the Promotion Unit in
the Ministry and the first (former) Secretary General of the ABCERQ/ABMAQ, or simply “Mr.
22
He is currently the director at the National Export Promotion Office of the Ministry of Industry and the president of thenational pilot committee for quality improvement.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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Quality” of Burkina Faso, recalls that Asian experiences offered a different and pragmatic perspective
on institutional setting-up and insisted that running the association as a neutral, public-private bodywas crucial. This is why the president of the ABCERQ has been selected from among the quality
control managers of member companies so as to reflect the needs of the private sector.
The principal task of the ABCERQ is to provide training. It has seven training instructors who
received training in QCC in Japan and Asia in 1990s, and they provide training and undertake regularmonitoring and follow-up among member companies. It also organizes a series of seminars and anannual QCC convention (Journées de Qualité) since 1991. The annual convention is the biggest event
and invites the Ministry of Industry and other key stakeholders from public and private sectors to show
off the achievements of member companies. A number of presentations are made by QCC members,
and some outstanding QCCs are given awards as an incentive to workers who had been given no
opportunity to show their work and achievements outside their factories and workplaces. During the
1990s, when companies and organizations were strongly committed to QCC, there were over six orseven hundred participants at the conventions, gathering a large part of the workers from the formal
sector.
(2) Challenges and steps towards institutionalization
The roles and functions of the ABCERQ and the government in promoting QCC have changed over
the years. The ABCERQ reorganized itself in 2002 after the completion of the World Bank assistanceand changed its name from ABCERQ, under which it had been focused on promoting QCC, to thecurrent ABMAQ, to put more focus on management issues. Since 2006 the ABMAQ has been working
to expand the scope of training such as ISO certification and quality management in collaboration with
the national office for the Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) regional quality
program. At the same time, the organization expanded its outreach to small and medium enterprises(SMEs) and strengthened its collaboration with other donors and organizations. Table 4-8 shows thetraining program of ABMAQ.
Table 4-8 Training Program of ABMAQ
1. Quality management

Top management and quality issues
QC circle organization training (for facilitators at firms)
ISO 9001:2000 certification training
Project management training (PDCA)
Quality management for service industries
5S training

2. Business management

Vision formulation training
Strategy and plan formulation training

The Secretariat has one permanent secretary general and a small administration team. Several
instructors and around twenty registered private consultants are undertaking the trainings and annual

83Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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evaluation for member companies. Some experienced companies are able to do the basic training
using in-house expertise (QCC facilitator/manager), yet many of them regularly send workers(especially new members) to the trainings and seminars at ABMAQ. Currently the ABMAQ has about
fifteen company members (it had over sixty members in mid-90s), including companies andorganizations shown on Table 4-5. Member companies are concentrated in Ouagadougou, the capital,
and Bobo Dioulasso, an industrial city 500 km away from the capital. Despite the distance, QCCs arevery active in Bobo Dioulasso, since the long-time quality manager of SOFITEX has been ensuring
effective exchange of information among members as the president of the ABMAQ.
At the same time, the ABMAQ faces numerous challenges. First of all, ABMAQ has financial
difficulties; the main sources of revenue for ABMAQ are membership fees and profits from training,
yet the training business for private companies has been stagnant due to economic difficulties over the
past couple of years, thereby seriously restricting the activities of the ABMAQ. For instance, theannual number of workers who received training was about 450 until 2005, but it decreased to
between 250 and 300 in 2006 and to 154 in 2008, far below the target (350) for the year.
Another challenge is related to human resource management. For instance, Mr. Bayili, the former
Secretary-General, was promoted to an executive position in the National Export Promotion Bureau(Office National du Commerce Extérieur: ONAC) of the Ministry of Industry in 2006. Although Mr.
Bayili continues his commitment to and involvement with ABMAQ, the ABMAQ staff members andquality control managers of companies are being replaced by second-generation members who have
not received skills training from Japanese experts.
The most serious impediment has been a lack of support from the government, particularly after thecompletion of the World Bank assistance. Although quality has been one of the key issues in terms ofcompetitiveness and export promotion, the government was not seriously committed to creating acomprehensive policy nor institution to promote quality and productivity. As a result, there were
proliferation of quality-related institutions without coordination. For instance, there were overlaps
between the ABMAQ and FASONORM, one of the divisions of ONAC created in 1998 for theacquisition and authorization of international standards, and the Maison d’Entreprises du Burkina Faso
(MEBF), a semi-governmental one-stop business service provider established in 2002 with support
from the World Bank. There are also some public laboratories under the tutelage of the different
ministries (i.e., agriculture, health, etc.), in addition to the private laboratories such as SOFITEX andothers.
Against this backdrop, the ABMAQ together with the Ministry of Industry have been proposing anational quality policy and a national institutional body for implementation. Their long-term effort
since 2000 has led to the drafting of a policy in the Ministry of Industry from 2008 and the hiring of an84

Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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international consultant funded by the African Development Bank. The policy was adopted at theministerial level in 2010. Its overall goals are “(i) to establish a national coordinating body to promote
quality, which is a key to increasing international competitiveness and (ii) to protect the lives andenvironment of Burkinabé citizens.” Its action plans are centered on (i) setting up a National
Committee for Quality (Comité Supérieur de Qualité) to coordinate the various institutions andactivities and establishing a special fund for promoting quality, (ii) providing a wide range of capacity
building to meet national and international quality standards (i.e., needs assessments, trainings,
providing incentives for firms, etc.), and (iii) creating a national movement for quality (seminars andnational quality awards, etc.). The National Committee for Quality will report directly to the Prime
Minister’s Office and be charged with leading the national movement, but its organization is still underdiscussion. In this process, the role and function of the ABMAQ as an institution that specializes inquality will be revised and strengthened.
4-3-2-4. Overall assessment and lessons learned for developing countries(1) Overall assessment
Table 4-9 summarizes achievements and challenges at individual, organizational and societal levels
over the past twenty years.
While some of the problems at the individual and company levels are common to both advanced anddeveloping countries, problems at the organizational and societal levels are more or less specific todeveloping countries. Despite the quality improvement measures implemented to meet the European
Union (EU) export standards, agricultural products from Burkina Faso have caused health problems
and were banned in EU markets and neighboring Mali. It will take considerable time to strengthen
Burkina Faso’s capacity to produce better-quality products. In this context, recalling Japanese history
might be useful; when a new quality control approach was first introduced from the US in the 1950s,
Japan was regarded as a supplier of cheap, low-quality products and it took several decades before
Japanese products earned international recognition for their quality. This is a reminder that quality andproductivity improvement require long-term efforts at the national level. In this context, theimplementation of the new policy in Burkina Faso is a right move and should be continuously
supported by the government, private sector and donors as well.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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Table 4-9. Achievements and Challenges of QCC in Burkina Faso
Achievements
Challenges
Individual level • 96.8% of respondents were satisfied with
• Unpaid overtime work
QCC (Sanou, 1995). Our field surveys• Lack of rewarding systems
confirmed the previous results in the 1990s. • Confusion with new initiatives (ISO, etc.)
in the field
Organizational • Changes in the labor-management• Lack of commitment on the part oflevel
relationship; improvement in the
management
communication between supervisors and• Lack of incentive, including rewards
workers• Improvement in financial conditions due• Assignment of personnel to the position of
to increase in productivity partially offset
quality control division manager by the
by increase in costs, including power
introduction of QCC and spread of quality
costs (need to adopt measures tomanagement training (initially, SAP was the
improve competitiveness, including
only company that had a quality control
infrastructure development)
division)• Clarifications of the relationship between• Improvement in productivity and financial
QCC and new standards (ISOconditions
9001:2000)
Example: Decrease in the percentage of• Inability of companies (especially SMEs)
defective air chambers for motorcycle tires
to cover costs required to improve
to 3.56% from 6.55% in half a year andquality and productivity
reduction in annual costs by 22 million FCFA
(SAP)
Example: Amount of time between
application and the provision of benefits
reduced to one month from six months(CNSS)
Example: Preventive measures
implemented to reduce causalities to zero,
based on the analysis of the causes ofannual casualties on the pilgrimage to
Mecca; the Burkinabé government wasawarded a testimonial from the Saudi
Arabian government (OSG)
Government• Development of local human resources and • Review of government organizations
and societal
knowledge through the promotion
related to quality management, including
level
organization (ABCERQ/ABMAQ)
the ABMAQ• Foundation provided for improvement in• Lack of government support (quality
quality and productivity in major industries
management is not a high priority,and government organizations
excluding export)• Effects on neighboring countries (especially • Training of personnel and improvement
Mali) and scaling up to UEMOA local quality
in the level of knowledge and skills
programs• No recognition of the importance ofquality among consumers and a generallack of interest in product quality as aresult of the low consumption level
Source: Compiled based on Sanou (1995), Lim (1999) and company interviews.

The experience with QCC in Burkina Faso has also brought a new perspective to business
management in Africa. Professor Honorine Illa at Ouagadougou University made comparisons
between the Western business management approach adopted by many African countries and theJapanese management approach in a couple of West African countries. She concluded that the latter ismore suitable to the organizational culture in African countries, emphasizing the need to develop an

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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African model by combining the two approaches.23 Focusing on the process of introducing andlocalizing QCC in Burkina Faso and Senegal, Professor Illa argues that while the internalization was
promoted in Burkina Faso through skills training by Japanese experts, the development of a local
model was hindered in Senegal due to the uniform application of parent (French) companies’ policies(Illa and Karsten, 2009). Although the African model (Ubuntu) is as yet an abstract notion and needs
further clarification in the future,24 it is worth noting as an attempt to develop an African model thatreflects local values and knowledge.
(2) Lessons learned for developing countries
The example of Burkina Faso shows that the Japanese kaizen approach can be introduced into adeveloping country with a difficult economic environment. Critical situations often push people tounite amongst themselves and to work together to overcome difficulties.
The Burkinabé experience also shows that QCC are transferable to both private and publicorganizations. Since private firms are more likely to gain visible financial benefits from QCC, they
have greater incentive to adopt it than government organizations. At the same time, they are often
unable to afford it because of financial difficulties due to poor economic conditions and institutional
environments. In addition, when the economic perspective is uncertain due to layoffs, workers are not
motivated to participate in QCC. In contrast, while the government organizations in general lackfinancial or non-financial incentives and have greater difficulty in motivating their members, theirstable economic conditions often allow them to undertake QCC. In fact, QCC has increasingly been
adopted in government organizations in recent years.
Role of the government
In Japan and many Asian countries, as well as Burkina Faso to some extent, governments werecommitted to quality and productivity improvement and created special organizations to accumulate
skills and diffuse knowledge. This aspect is particularly important when the country lacks the basic
understanding and infrastructure for quality and productivity. In Burkina Faso, the ABCERQ/ABMAQ
has been playing a key role in creating and leading the national movement for quality, and it has
greatly contributed to developing human resources and accumulating knowledge and experience in the
country. It owes much to the leadership of Mr. Bayili, who has been engaged in the promotion of QCC
for over twenty years with an extensive network of contacts in both the public and private sectors. The
fact that the project was staffed by a competent leader over a long time was one of the keys to its
success.
23

Similar views were expressed by quality control managers of SONABEL (electric power corporation). (“The participatory
approach, which was different from the traditional Western approach, was particularly suited to African companies.”)24
See Luts (2009), and Karsten and Illa (2005) for details of Ubuntu and African-type management.

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Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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Furthermore, the special organization should be small and flexible so that close collaboration between
public and private sectors can emerge. Governments should give various incentives to encourage theprivate sector to engage in improving quality and productivity. For instance, the organization ofnational events such as “Quality Day” has been playing a crucial part in motivating companies. This
type of event not only provides opportunities for companies to make their efforts known to a wider
public but also has a long-term educational effect on the citizens.
Pragmatism is also needed; for some countries with scarce human and financial resources, launching
an ambitious program for quality and productivity improvement is just unrealistic. While it is tempting
to include micro and small enterprises in the scope of the project, most of them do not have thenecessary resources to invest in these costly activities.
QCC and kaizen methods are basically acquired through on-the-job training. However, in many
developing countries, workers do not have the basic education to apply the kaizen method at theirworkplaces. This is why the governments should raise the level of secondary education and improve
the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program (such as adding introductory
courses on statistics and analysis methods to the curriculum).
Involving and motivating the top management is key
The cases of Burkina Faso and other countries confirm that improving quality and productivity
requires a deep and sincere commitment from management. Comprehensive improvement requires not
only bottom-up QCC, but also top-down initiatives on quality management. Because of this deep
commitment in some companies, QCC has somehow survived in Burkina Faso without government
support. Yet, where small-group participatory activities are not common, it would be better to initiate
pilot QCC at the factory level where tangible results can be obtained, while developing longer-term
initiatives at the same time.
Even if a country has opted for a new approach, resistance within organizations (especially atmanagement level) may provide a serious impediment to a kaizen project; this is not unique todeveloping countries. In Burkina Faso, as the majority of executives and managers are educated in
French systems, they feel more familiar with French-style administration and business management. In
this context, they tend to see QCC, a bottom-up approach, as a threat; one of the guiding principles of
QCC is to allow workers to state their opinions and make proposals for management to consider,thereby developing a different work style from the conventional process. This can cause managers tofear that their authority may be undermined. To overcome this resistance, it is crucial to place QCC
within the company-wide programs, such as TQM, and have all members understand that these
activities bring benefits to both workers and management.

88Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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In addition, frequent personnel changes are often cited as one of the reasons for failure of QCC in
Burkina Faso.
Adjustment to the local context
There are still skeptical views that because of cultural differences, transferring the Japanese business
management approach to other countries would be impossible. However, as far as QCC is concerned,
the socio-cultural factors do not play a decisive role in determining the success or failure of projects.
Rather, success depends on the degree of the adjustment made to the local context, or the localization.
For instance, QCC is undertaken most often as unpaid overtime in Japan. However, in developing
countries, it is generally difficult to ask workers to do voluntary overtime work, despite the importanceof voluntarism highlighted in the original QCC concept. Companies that were unable to promote QCC
cited “unpaid voluntary work” as one of the reasons for their failure, while successful organizations
have made small adjustments to reflect the local context. Whatever their origin, the imported systems
should be tailored in accordance with the circumstances and the capacity of the country, by examining
its difference and complementarity with existing values and approaches.
Long-term capacity building and institutional building
Tailoring to each country’s context requires long-term, continuous assistance. First, it requires
long-term assignment of competent personnel to the promotion organization. Since it takes aconsiderable amount of time before quality and productivity improvement practices take root in acountry and trained personnel become available, governments and donors should plan to work together
to provide continuous support over a long period of time. Asian experiences suggest that it takes adecade to establish a functioning institution and establish a pool of resources.

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Annex: Activities of Other Donors Supporting Quality and Productivity Improvement
The experience of QCC also served to create a basis for the support of other donors, especially the EC
and UNIDO, for quality and productivity improvement. In 1990s, UNIDO made an attempt to
introduce the Japanese management approach into developing countries and regards continuous
improvement (amélioration continue in French), which is a translation of the word kaizen, as the basic
compomentof the comprehensive programs for quality and productivity improvement (industrial
capacity development program).
UNIDO’s quality improvement programs in Burkina Faso are implemented to support UEMOA
regional programs for West African countries. Major quality improvement programs include thefollowing: (i) a program (1999 to 2003) aimed at improving quality and safety standards of SMEs
engaged in food processing in Burkina Faso and Mali; and (ii) support (2007 to 2010) for a program
funded by the EC and implemented by UNIDO which is aimed at improving the quality of local
products in West Africa.
The program in the above (i) consists mainly of training for 11 food-manufacturing companies
including SN-CITEC, which was one of the pilot companies for the QC circle program, in addition to
SODEPAL and UCOBAM. There were 36 training sessions, including sessions on sanitary standards,
ISO certification and TQM, attended by a total of 776 workers. The ABCERQ is commissioned toprovide training in TQM. Training in TQM consisted of 18 sessions held over a period of 75 days andattended by 385 participants. The ABCERQ is in charge of (a) executive training in strategy
formulation and quality management; (b) personnel policy and motivation training for middle
management; and (c) quality improvement training for workers. These sessions were attended by atotal of 275 participants (UNIDO, 2005). The Burkina Association for the of Promotion Quality
Assurance in Food Industries (Association Burkinabé pour la Promotion de l’Assurance Qualité dansles Entreprises Alimentaires: ABPAQ-EA) is reported to have been established by a group of quality
control managers of the relevant companies based on the results of UNIDO’s support programs. This
association was formed following the example of the ABMAQ. (We were unable to obtain theinformation on the state of the ABPAQ-EA as of 2011).
The predecessor of the program in the above (ii) was a program for the improvement of local productsin the UEMOA region (2001 to 2005), which was developed for UEMOA countries based on theexperience of the ABMAQ. A total of fourteen million euros was provided for the eight UEMOA
countries to provide support mainly for the food processing industry to help obtain ISO certification.
SAP and SN-SOSUCO, which adopted QCC, are also included as companies eligible to receive
support. The scope of the program has been expanded to include fifteen West African countries(ECOWAS countries), including Anglophone countries, along with Mauritania in order to provide

90Chapter 4. Quality Control Circles in Burkina Faso:
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support mainly for producing products that meet export standards. The ABMAQ is commissioned toprovide training as part of these programs, as was mentioned above. According to a review of support
programs performed at the end of 2009, only a few of the companies succeeded in obtaining ISO
certification. Therefore, results have not always been successful. At the same time, however, there arecompanies that have obtained ISO certification among those that are not receiving support from theEC or UNIDO, which makes it difficult to attribute the cause of failure merely to the lack of capacityof companies in Burkina Faso.25

25

Based on a field interview with the person in charge of the UEMOA Burkina Faso program.

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