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This paper seeks to present an optimization‐based approach to design acceptance sampling plans by variables for controlling non‐conforming proportions in lots of items. Simple and double sampling plans with s known and unknown are addressed. Normal approximation distributions proposed by Wallis are employed to handle plans with s unknown. The approach stands on the minimization of the average sampling number (ASN) taking into account the constraints arising from the two point conditions on the operating characteristic (OC) curve. The resulting optimization problems fall under the class of mixed integer non‐linear programming (MINLP), and are solved employing GAMS. The results obtained strongly agree with classical acceptance sampling plans found in the literature, although outperforming them in some cases, and providing a general approach to address other cases.

The approach takes the form of formulation of the design of acceptance sampling plans by variables for non‐conforming proportions as optimization problems minimizing the ASN with the constraints being the acceptance probability at the controlled points of the OC curve, and subsequent solution of the mathematical programming problems arising with mathematical programming algorithms.

The results are in strong agreement with acceptance sampling plans available in the literature. The approach presented here outperforms the classical plans in some cases and its generality allows one to design other plans without the requirement of additional relations between the parameters and intensive enumerative algorithms.

The paper presents an optimization‐based approach to design robust acceptance sampling plans by variables for non‐conforming proportions that allows a general treatment and disregards the need for computational intensive enumerative‐based procedures.

This purpose of this paper is to present an optimization‐based approach to support the design of attribute sampling plans for lot acceptance purposes, with the fraction of non‐conforming items being modeled by a Poisson probability distribution function.

The paper approach stands upon the minimization of the error of the probability of acceptance equalities in the controlled points of the operating curve (OC) with respect to sample size and acceptance number. It was applied to simple and double sampling plans, including several combinations of quality levels required by the producer and the consumer. Formulation of the design of acceptance sampling plans as an optimization problem, having as a goal the minimization of the squared error at the controlled points of the OC curve, and its subsequent solution employing GAMS.

The results are in strong agreement with acceptance sampling plans available in the open literature. The papers approach in some scenarios outperforms classical sampling plans and allows one to identify the lack of feasible solutions.

An optimization‐based approach to support the design of acceptance sampling plans for attributes was conceived and tested. It allows for a general treatment of these problems, including the identification of a lack of feasible solutions, as well as making possible the determination of feasible alternatives by relaxing some model constraints.

ISO 9001 certification is nowadays considered to be one of the most effective tools that can be adopted for guiding the management of Quality Systems. The stunning growth observed by these standards all over the world confirms a strong polarization of enterprises' interest in this practice. Owing to the wide incidence of this phenomenon, a deep investigation of ISO 9001 diffusion over time is of mandatory importance. The research here reported covers the development of statistical models in order to characterize the ISO 9001 certification evolution on a country basis, as well as worldwide.

Based on the pioneering results obtained by Saraiva and Duarte, an attempt is now made to: identify clusters of countries, according to their ISO 9001 evolution patterns; characterize the worldwide ISO 9001 certification evolution; identify which are the main evolution perspectives for ISO 9001 diffusion; identify significant variables that may influence ISO 9001 quality management systems diffusion; develop mathematical models in order to characterize the ISO 9001 certification evolution on a country‐by‐country basis.

The research carried out allowed one to analyze the worldwide evolution of ISO 9001 certification and suggest new prediction models for the diffusion of quality management systems certification at different geographical realities.

This paper covers the development of statistical models in order to characterize the ISO 9001 certification evolution on a country basis, as well as worldwide.

This article offers a novel approach that brings together management, engineering and organizational behavior. It focuses on the understanding of organizational dynamics in an era of technological change, upholding the importance of organizational agility and of the cultural paradigm in the management of organizations.

In this work, the authors present the conclusions from a set of studies carried out in organizations operating in technical and technological industries. The authors assessed the capabilities of these organizations in terms of operational excellence maturity and its impact on the organizational culture and organizational agility.

Results show the importance of operational excellence either in developing or expanding organizational agility capabilities while reinforcing the cruciality of an excellence-oriented culture to sustain these efforts over time.

Increasingly unstable business environments have led to a growing interest in how to develop and maintain operational excellence in the face of continued and disruptive change. However, this interest has, so far, been advanced with little empirical evidence to support the corresponding predictions. This work offers the first practical evidence that continued focus and optimization of operations, with the right cultural alignment, helps organizations survive and thrive in increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments.

In the past few years, management systems implementation and certification has become a common practice among different types of organizations. In this context, quality management systems certification, according to the ISO 9001 standard is in the spotlight, due to over than 1.000.000 certified organizations by the end of 2009. Quality management systems can be integrated with an increasing variety of other subsystems implemented according to other standards, including environmental systems, health and safety, social responsibility, R&D, risk, or human resources, and subsystems raised from specific standards designed for specific activity sectors (HACCP, automotive or aeronautics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and software). Due to this evolution, careful attention should be taken on how these different subsystems have been and should be articulated, harmonized and integrated. Thus, this paper intends to approach different strategies to achieve integration, with several levels of intensity, depth and authenticity between the different subsystems, and report some final recommendations related with good practices assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the integration process.

A case study methodology has supported this research. Three case studies were conducted on Portuguese companies that have an integrated quality, environmental and safety management system.

If the companies' strategy is to implement more than one management system, there is a clear advantage of doing it supported on an integrated approach, avoiding the development of organizational “islands” related to each subsystem. This organizational “archipelago” structure is completely far way from any global optimized solution, based on a holistic perspective.

Based on the conclusions that we were able to find out, this paper is an important contribution to the integrated management systems research area, because it states different integration approaches and levels of integration and what are the features that characterize each one of those approaches and levels.

After a hiatus in the research on individual differences in negotiation, there has been a surge of renewed interest in recent years followed by several new findings. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects that personality, as structured by the five-factor model, have over negotiation behavior and decision making in order to create new knowledge and prescribe advice to negotiators.

This study replicates observations from earlier studies but with the innovation of using a different methodology, as data from a sample of volunteer participants were collected in regard to their personality and behavior during two computerized negotiation simulations, one with the potential for joint gains and the other following a more traditional bargaining scenario.

Significant results for both settings were found, with the personality dimensions of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion systematically reoccurring as the most statistically relevant, although expressing different roles according to the type of negotiation and measure being registered. The findings thus suggest a multidimensional relationship between personality and situational variables in which specific traits can either become liabilities or assets depending upon whether the potential for value creation is present or not.

The new findings on the impacts of personality traits on both distributive and integrative negotiations allow negotiators to improve their performance and to adapt to specific distributive or integrative negotiation situations.

The purpose of this paper is to find the configuration of the number (m) and size (n) of the sample in Phase I that would make it possible to detect the out-of-control (OOC) state of the process with the smallest number of samples and ensure a capability index (C_pk) that would meet the customer’s requirements.

The suggested approach addresses this problem using simulation techniques and design of experiments (DOE). The simulation techniques made it possible to reproduce the normal operating conditions of the process. The DOE was used to construct a predictive model for control chart performance and thus to determine combinations of m and n in Phase I that would meet the capability objectives of the process. A numerical example and a simulation study were conducted to illustrate the proposed method.

Using simulation techniques and DOE, the authors can find the number (m) and size (n) of the sample in Phase I that would make it possible to detect the OOC state of the process with the smallest number of samples and ensure a C_pk that would meet the customer’s requirements.

In the real situations of many companies, choosing the numbers and sizes of samples (m and n) in Phases I and II is a crucial decision in relation to implementing a control chart. The paper shows that the simulation method and use of linear regression are effective alternatives because they are better known and more easily applied in industrial settings. Therefore, the need for alternatives to the X control chart comes into play.

By exploiting the relationships between Six Sigma and quality management systems (QMS) based on the ISO 9001 standard, this paper proposes a set of guidelines to combine and integrate both approaches in a systematic way. The guidelines are organised into integration topics, and each one is linked to the clauses of the ISO 9001 standard they refer to.

Based on the literature review, Six Sigma and QMS based on the ISO 9001 standard are thoroughly discussed and compared and beneficial synergies between them are identified. Based on this study, and to take advantage of the compatibilities and logical linkages between both approaches, guidelines for the integration of Six Sigma with the ISO 9001 requirements are developed.

Benefits resulting from the integration of Six Sigma with a QMS based on the ISO 9001 standard are mutual. The integration guidelines proposed in this paper provide a framework to unify process management practices, enhance the effectiveness of continual improvement efforts, facilitate the identification, evaluation and selection of Six Sigma projects, align the quality objectives defined for the QMS with Six Sigma project goals, establish relationships between the roles of a Six Sigma program and those inherent to an ISO 9001 QMS, and demonstrate how internal quality audits and management review benefit from a Six Sigma program.

The integration models and guidelines herein proposed can be further expanded to include other relevant normative references, particularly environmental management systems (ISO 14001) and safety and health management systems (OHSAS 18001).

The set of guidelines proposed in this paper is original and will be of practical value to the increasing number of organisations adopting a process‐model for the ISO 9001 standard, that seek to incorporate Six Sigma principles, practices, methods and tools within their QMS. The guidelines cover a wide spectrum of relevant activities that usually take place in the context of both initiatives. In addition, because each guideline is accompanied by the identification of the applicable clauses of ISO 9001, they provide a useful framework to develop, implement, maintain, and improve a QMS in parallel with a Six Sigma program.