Using an objective method for managing the implementation of quality certification in the industry
With their generalized use as a competitive strategy, Quality Management Systems (QMSs) have become an important management and development tool in industrial companies. There have been numerous studies of the different factors involved in their implementation, but none have considered which of these factors generate a greater propensity to seek certification in these companies. It is important to quantify these factors with the aim of determining their influence on the implementation of an ISO 9000 norm certified QMS. In this work, the use of the Rasch model as a measurement instrument is proposed. It allows the companies to be discriminated in terms of the factors and vice versa. Thus, in an objective way, a ranking of the companies according to the factors and, moreover, a ranking of the more (or less) frequent factors for all companies can be obtained. As an example, data relating to all certified organizations that had operational centers in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura, Spain, have been processed. The results show as the factors that most favored the certification process were observed to be internal in type, such as having an adequate organization or well-documented processes, as against those of an external type such as pressure from clients or the quality level of the competition. This information is particularly useful for organisms of the public administration responsible for fostering companies' competitiveness and quality improvement. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
certification quality management factors iso 9000 rasch model