Definition of "Levels" within an Organization in ISO 9001 Clause 5.4.1

jelly1921

Quite Involved in Discussions
The standard says: quality objectives are established at relevant functions and levels within the organization

How to understand the word of levels?

Someone says they are the levels within the organization not levels within the organization structure.

the levels within the organization:
1 Corporate level
2 Process level
3 Product or service level
4 Departmental or function level
5 Personal level

I have two questions:
1. is it mentioned above correct?
2. if yes, what are the levels within the organization structure ?

Thanks!

Jelly
 

Big Jim

Admin
That's an awfully good question, one for which you may not get a very conclusive answer.

First of all, the organization gets to choose what those relevant levels and functions are. Either of the definitions you proposed could work. Next, there seems to be a trend that to some extent that it should include your core processes. As we approach the transition to ISO 9001:2015, the processes mentioned in 4.1 seem to be called business processes, but whatever they are called, it seems to be related to the company's structure. The question you raised is often used to explain the need for KPI (key performance indicators, or sometimes key process indicators), and this gets tied to 4.1 and 8.2.3. I'm not sure I have provided an answer, as there may not be a single good answer. Other comments on this topic are welcome.
 

somashekar

Leader
Admin
The standard says: quality objectives are established at relevant functions and levels within the organization

How to understand the word of levels?

Someone says they are the levels within the organization not levels within the organization structure.

the levels within the organization:
1 Corporate level
2 Process level
3 Product or service level
4 Departmental or function level
5 Personal level

I have two questions:
1. is it mentioned above correct?
2. if yes, what are the levels within the organization structure ?

Thanks!

Jelly
Hi Jelly...
The ISO9001 is scripted taking into account all possible sizes of an organization. The freedom in selecting the relevance is the organization's call and the objective can be established by the organization in a part of the function if they so find it relevant there.
Ex:
Someone can have just one stores in their inventory management, and an other can have central stores, receiving stores, section stores and quarantine stores. All these can be under their inventory management function. Relevance to establishing an objective can be at the quarantine stores only, if the management so feels.
The standard is making clear that objectives can be also set at subset functions of any function, ie; levels.
 

insect warfare

QA=Question Authority
Trusted Information Resource
Jelly, 5.4.1 is basically saying that you (as an organization) can create whatever quality objectives it thinks it needs...but there is a catch.

The catch is that you (as an organization) better make sure those objectives you selected (however you want to slice and dice them) are properly linked up with your quality policy and strategic objectives, are relevant to that function or level (however you want to slice and dice that too), and that they are cascaded down to specific activites. This also requires your objectives be measurable and purposeful (or, having the potential to positively affect your QMS), because there is no point in saying, "we improved our cafeteria vending machine sales by 33% last month" when your organization's primary purpose is manufacturing computers, and not about selling chips and sodas.

See what I mean?

Brian :bigwave:
 
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