We evaluated implementation costs in terms of expenditure items inherent in the implementation of ISO quality systems. The costs were broken down according to seven centers of interest, grouped into four distinct budgetary items. Figure 3 presents implementation costs, in percent, for each sector of the industry targeted by the survey. This does not include training costs, making it all the more apparent that setting up an ISO 9000 quality system involves a major financial effort to get human resources to adhere to and participate in a structured process targeting sustainable change. This clearly shows to what extent the objective of an ISO quality system is to set up an ordered, formalized structure for an existing process.
Companies already know their process and all the techniques of quality control.
The ISO quality system makes it possible to ensure the continued application of existing control techniques and to place them in a more rigorous management framework. This explains why its implementation has little impact on resources. The hot-mix plants sector is the only one with significant manpower and equipment costs. This exception is readily understandable. Prior to the implementation of ISO quality systems, the only valid results for accepting asphalt under contract were those of the department.