It could be a combination of all those factors.
When I started the ISO project consisted of the QMS Manual that an outside consultant had put together. All the job records were logged into 5 different excel spreadsheets. Delivery slips were hand written, routers did not exist, work instructions did not exist, no log of maintenance or calibration records, never been any supplier, managerial, or employee reviews. Personnel paper records were made for all current employees, but no formal training, or even employee sign off was issued.
Basically the only thing in place was the QMS manual.
My understanding is that he lost steam because he ran into a dilemma of the product moving through the shop to fast for paperwork to keep up. Especially since everything was hand written, or manually entered into a spreadsheet.
For case, we receive about 40 tractor axles a day, they build the axles across town and freight over roughly 4-5 loads a day with between 6-10 axles a load. We are allotted roughly 2-3hrs to turn around each load inniating work immediatly upon receival, and ship them out directly to the FARGO plant that builds the tractors.
The biggest hurdle to overcome was being able to generate some sort of traveler to follow the product around the shop without hindering production to much. I've presented a few ideas the first being the most obvious, a paper router for every axle.
This was immediately rejected as creating more paper that is just going to be shoved in a corner. So I've since revised to a day log for each station where they log the ID # of the axle and sign off that they did their job, the log sheet is then to be turned into the office at the end of the day for processing the following morning. So technically the quality paperwork will take 24hours to catch up to the product.
This is where I am at now, when I presented him with my new idea of validating our work his only response was, "This is bullsh*t".
That is but one example, I have also ran into walls with him saying, "How are we suppose to write out 30 years of painting experience." and "Lets just put on a good show for their quality guys."
Basically, I feel it is just a mentality that they have done things a certain way for 30 years, and the production staff is not competant enough to certify their work. It must be something that he ran into during his time at least, because the op. manager has only worked for this company 3 more years then I have, not quite long enough to harbor a mentality that the company is stuck in its old ways.
For the record, he is still the management rep. and I've kind of fallen more into the title of IT specialist for the company.
Any alternatives to management reviews are welcome, maybe it can help get the ball rolling.