Does IS0 9001 quality management system support product innovation? An analysis from the sociotechnical systems theory
International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
ISSN: 0265-671X
Article publication date: 25 February 2019
Issue publication date: 24 May 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Building on the sociotechnical systems theory (STS), the purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct impacts of the social and technical QMs (ISO 9001) practices on both incremental and radical product innovation and the direct relationships relaying QMs (ISO 9001) as a sociotechnical system with incremental and radical product innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for a survey instrument to collect quantitative data from 82 Moroccan certified ISO 9001 firm. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses.
Findings
Results show that the social and technical QMs (ISO 9001) practices do not have a significant relationship with incremental and radical product innovation when they are taken in isolation. However, when ranged together to constitute a whole sociotechnical system of QMs (ISO 9001), QMs (ISO 9001) prove to have a strong positive and significant impact on incremental product innovation and a weak positive and significant impact on radical product innovation.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the small sample size that might weaken the significance of the results and the use of cross-sectional data, this research may lack a large statistical generalizability vis-à-vis the analytical generalization.
Practical implications
The results provide useful implications for managers, suggesting that in order to develop their product innovation, they must ensure that both QMs (ISO 9001) social and technical practices achieve a high level of integration without allowing some quality practices to take over.
Originality/value
Based on the STS, this study is the first to focus primarily on the role of the multi-dimensional structure of QMs (ISO 9001), i.e. social and technical practices, in incremental and radical product innovation.
Keywords
Citation
El Manzani, Y., Sidmou, M.L. and Cegarra, J.-j. (2019), "Does IS0 9001 quality management system support product innovation? An analysis from the sociotechnical systems theory", International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Vol. 36 No. 6, pp. 951-982. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-09-2017-0174
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited