Effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 Implementation in small industrial organizations?

[Jim Wynne]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

I hate to say it but.....You're wrong!

Effectiveness is clearly defined for QMS and when it happens you can very easily see it...

ISO 9000:2005 - 3.2.14 effectiveness
extent to which planned activities are realized and planned results achieved

The planning is contained within all the documentation the organization generates for it's QMS, starting with the Quality Policy and then to the "required" documented procedures, and in 4.2.1d for example...

The basic need for 4.2.3 Control of Documents is just that, the defined mechanizm that if propery implemented and maintained would lead to effective control of all QMS related documentation....So when we audit and see that every document we ask for meets the criteria the organization has established for document control we can say that is is being done effectively. This holds true for every procedure, work instruction, policy, or whatever the organization uses because all of these things are nothing more tha the organization, stating in some formal structure, how it intends (plans) to do something, so the successful meeting of these provides us with evidence of effectiveness. What the needed to do they planned to do and they did it = effectiveness

The identification of effectiveness is actually one of the easiest things to determine in the course of an audit, but it is one of the things most frequently complicated by those who don't believe in or understand its simplicity.

My point regarding subjectiveness had to do more with what "the organization" defines as being "effective." For example, an ineffective QMS (in terms of the requirements of the standard that you refer to) may be effective in the eyes of management if the certification is maintained. We all know that there are many certified companies with ineffective systems. So I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just saying that for the purposes of the OP's research, he had better have a good working definition of effectiveness before he gets going.

 

[JaneB]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

Thanks for the clarification SteelMaiden. Frankly, I could not understand what 'faux pas' he had done, hence my response.

Sam, which bits didn't you understand? I think SteelMaiden's posts were excellent and made very good sense. And as Moderators, that's one of the excellent functions they perform that help us all. Perhaps you should look a little more closely at what she said?
1. She welcomed the OP.
2. She made some points about normal professional etiquette - very politely. I for one appreciated them.
3. She suggested some avenues of help.
4. In the interests of minimising duplicated effort, she asked him to provide some further info about what ground he has already covered. Again, I appreciated this too.

I know you want to help and that's great - so does everyone who freely gives of their valuable time here. But we can (and many of us have, believe me!) wasted huge amounts of time and effort on guessing and assuming - and that's not effective or efficient at all. And it doesn't have to be that way.

 

[JaneB]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

for the purposes of the OP's research, he had better have a good working definition of effectiveness before he gets going.

Very, very good point, Jim.

 

[Randy]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

So I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just saying that for the purposes of the OP's research, he had better have a good working definition of effectiveness before he gets going.

Then the best and most suitable definition would be the one specifically provided for a Quality Management System based upon ISO 9001:2008 instead of "him-hawing, I think, I guess and it could be...."

And whether an organization understands it or not, they actually do define effectiveness within their system documents that have been previously mentioned in this Thread. Part of the reason most organizations don't understand is because they have had people who occasionally work around ISO 9001 and not those continuously working in and with it providing guidance and showing them "how"...A training course does not an expert make...

 

[Stijloor]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

Friends,

Allow me to offer two simple (Stijloor ) definitions...

• Effectiveness: The ability of a process to produce the expected results.
• Efficiency: To do this without waste.

Stijloor.

 

[Sam4Quality]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

Originally Posted by JaneB

Sam, which bits didn't you understand? I think SteelMaiden's posts were excellent and made very good sense. And as Moderators, that's one of the excellent functions they perform that help us all. Perhaps you should look a little more closely at what she said?
1. She welcomed the OP.
2. She made some points about normal professional etiquette - very politely. I for one appreciated them.
3. She suggested some avenues of help.
4. In the interests of minimising duplicated effort, she asked him to provide some further info about what ground he has already covered. Again, I appreciated this too.

I know you want to help and that's great - so does everyone who freely gives of their valuable time here. But we can (and many of us have, believe me!) wasted huge amounts of time and effort on guessing and assuming - and that's not effective or efficient at all. And it doesn't have to be that way.

Thanks Jane for all the clarifications regarding SteelMaiden's post. I have also PM'ed her to clarify, have'n't recieved a response though, probably due to the time difference.

I appreciate all your efforts here.

Ciao.

 

[bobdoering]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

Not to derail your research, but do you have a rigorous definition of "effectiveness"?

Good point! Is there a measureable thesis statement you are trying to prove or disprove, or perform a statistical test on? If you do not have a measureable, the result has a very diluted value - perhaps just a statement of opinion. I would think you would want more than that for an academic paper.

 

[bobdoering]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

Allow me to offer two simple (Stijloor ) definitions...

• Effectiveness: The ability of a process to produce the expected results.
• Efficiency: To do this without waste.

Good start. For an academic paper, one would want to quantify the above, and determine a measure of success. Otherwise, you get an op-ed piece for an ASQ magazine, not an academic paper.

 

[Stijloor]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

Good start. For an academic paper, one would want to quantify the above, and determine a measure of success. Otherwise, you get an op-ed piece for an ASQ magazine, not an academic paper.

Bob,

Simplicity is the key. Sometimes, I think, we tend to over-analyze too much. Lately, I tend to use the term "user-friendly" more frequently. It does not mean less effective/efficient. Systems and processes are often designed/documented to pass an audit or to look good rather then looking at its intended use and purpose.

Just a slight rant after a fantastic bike ride this afternoon.

Have a great and safe week Bob.

Stijloor.

 

[bobdoering]

Re: Implementation effectiveness of ISO 9001:2000 in small industrial organization

Simplicity is the key.

I agree.

Whatever the measureable may be, it should be one that is fairly universal and readily available. It is likely already in the literature - whether journal or trade.

I would not invent a measureable that has never been used, and try to get data that has never been collected before as an approach to this - unless the student has some extraordinary resources.