ISO 9000 Quality Systems Handbook (5th ed.)

Citation

Narasimhan, K. (2008), "ISO 9000 Quality Systems Handbook (5th ed.)", Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 78-78. https://doi.org/10.1108/13683040810900421

Organizations have to delight customers and retain them in order to succeed in this age of globalization. To meet this end organizations use self‐assessment of their business excellence using a number of key success factors and different instruments or models. One such model is the ISO 9000 system.

David Hoyle has over 30 years experience in quality management and is Director of Transition Support Ltd., UK.

This is a reference book that provides the readers with quality management concepts as well as an understanding of the requirements of the ISO 9000, which was modified in 2000. The book comprises eight chapters and two appendices: Appendix A contains a comprehensive glossary of terms and Appendix B contains addresses of useful web sites.

The first three chapters provide the background information necessary to understand ISO 9001's (referred to as the standard) requirements that are covered in chapters 4 to 8. Chapter 1 deals with concepts underpinning the body of knowledge of quality management that are related to ISO 9000. Hoyle explores both concepts and misconceptions of the term “quality”. The other areas, which he covers, include quality planning, control, assurance, and improvement, the importance of, and bridging, the perceptual gap between customer and management, principles of effective process management, and Six Sigma. Chapter 2, which is comparatively short (20 pages), gives an insight into how the standard has been used, misused and misunderstood, since its inception in 1987. It also provides arguments for and against certification and the problems caused by its inappropriate use. In Chapter 3, Hoyle explores the role of the standard, its origins, purpose, scope and application. The standard is positioned as a vehicle for not only assessing how an organization functions but also for conveying the requirement to the organization's suppliers. He points out that the revised standard moves away from procedures and conformity audits to identifying customer needs and expectations and attempt to manage a series of processes to meet these.

Chapters 4 through 8 explain the requirements of the standard through explanations, examples, tables and diagrams. The explanations are structured in the sequence set out in the standard; the headings include Clause numbers. The each requirement is explained by answering three questions: what it means, why it is important, and how it is demonstrated. The author cautions that these are his interpretations and should not be considered as those of any of the certification or Standards body. The following topics are covered in sequence: the Quality Management System, Management responsibility, Resource management, Product realization, and Measurement, analysis and improvement.

The chapters end with a summary and a section termed “Food for thought”, which is intended for the reader to reflect on the understanding gained. The summary of requirements can be used for as a checklist by system developers and auditors for testing the completeness of the system.

The text is well written using a direct style of writing referring the reader as “you”; and jargons are explained in the glossary. This book one of the two handbooks on ISO 9000, and is ideal for practitioners and instructors, as well as auditors.