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This paper illustrates a perennial self‐audit model for quality management system (QMS) improvement. The model is based on the concepts of self‐ and nano‐audits, which directly contradict the two central tenets of classical auditing, namely auditor independence and the discrete nature of the auditing process. The general model is presented first, including a description of the underlying concepts (self‐audit, milli‐audit, micro‐audit and nano‐audit), and an illustration of the model elements and their interrelationships. This is followed by an explanation of the benefits and possible uses of the model. Three specific applications are discussed: QSM upgrade based on standards, facilitation of the transition from minimalistic to excellence‐based business systems, and the provision of support in the integration of function‐specific management systems. Subsequently, the emphasis is shifted towards a real‐life application of the proposed model in a high‐tech company. A demonstration of how this model was used to help the case study company in the transition from the ISO 9001: 1994 to the ISO 9001: 2000 QMS is provided.

An “effective audit” cannot be taken for granted, even though it is performed by trained professionals using proven techniques and in accordance with internationally accepted standards. Recent highly publicized cases in both financial and quality auditing point to the need to further examine the meaning of audit effectiveness, as well as the methods to improve it. Specifically, audit reliability and risk as two related components of audit effectiveness are focused on. The term and concept of QMS audit effectiveness are analyzed first, followed by a list of the relevant principles and criteria for measuring and improving this effectiveness. Finally, two cases from the nuclear industry are used to illustrate the importance of measuring and improving QMS audit effectiveness.

Changes in structure and conceptual underpinnings of ISO 9001 mean that quality management system (QMS) auditors require a wide knowledge base and skill set to effectively evaluate contemporary QMS and add value to the process. Hence, this study presents an open curriculum framework of the knowledge, skills and attributes for quality auditor education.

This study describes the first two phases of a three-phase study examining the educational requirements for external quality auditors (EQAs). Phase 1 involved a review of relevant international literature on auditor competence and education; Phase 2 involved the collection of qualitative data from a panel of experts, combined with the initial round of a Delphi study. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the findings from the questionnaire.

The findings of this study suggests there is a need to improve EQAs education, as most experts reported the quality of audit to be variable, inconsistent, poor and diminishing in value. The most important improvements to auditor education are to update and improve the auditors' knowledge on the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard and technology in business and skills such as report writing, communication, IT understanding and analytical ability. Some of the attributes reported as being desirable to instill in EQAs include the following: objectivity, integrity, ethics and professionalism; being observant, perceptive, articulate and confident; having good judgment; flexibility, adaptivity and diplomacy, fairness and open-mindedness.

This study highlights the need for wider EQA education based on the gap identified in its performance. The resulting framework can be adopted by accreditation and certification bodies to evaluate and improve their auditors' audit performance.

The purpose of the study is to identify the perceived lack of certain core knowledge, skills and attributes in external quality auditors (EQAs) that contributes to an audit process that does not add value for client organizations. This paper describes the development of a competency requirement framework for quality management system (QMS) EQAs that would improve their capability and audit performance.

A review of relevant international literature on auditor competence and education, clients' expectations on external auditors, explicit and implicit expectations based on ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 19011:2018, and current auditor capability was conducted to obtain insights into the present situation and requirements of the environment. A survey questionnaire was then utilized in the collection of data from 19 heads of certification and technical reviewers of accredited certification bodies (CBs) in Malaysia. Univariate and bivariate analysis were used in analyzing the data from respondents.

The overall results show that the most important components of knowledge for EQAs to possess are quality management principles, system and standards; risk management; and business process and operations management. In terms of skills, the most important skills for auditors are auditing and report writing and critical/analytical thinking, followed by communication/interpersonal/people/ICT and team management. Attributes such as integrity, being ethical, professional and objective are found to be most important in EQAs to be effective and add value to the audits. Based on the results, the competency requirement framework of EQAs was developed.

This paper presents the knowledge, skills, attitudes and experience needed by EQAs identified by the CBs which is then developed into a competency requirements framework for future auditor training. The resulting framework from the study can be used by accreditation bodies, CBs and training organizations to evaluate and improve the auditors' competence and audit performance in the future.

Quality management system provides the top management a self‐regulating tool to enhance the company’s operation. Hong Kong is coming to age with quality management. A trend has been developing in Hong Kong whereas construction contractors have to adopt and be certified under the ISO 9000 Quality Management Scheme (QMS) in order to become government contractors. It is found that even though the companies have adopted the QMS for over three years, however, their qualities of service do not improve as expected. Quality culture has not been firmly established in the construction sector in Hong Kong. Summarizes attitude, experience and the underlining factors that drive the construction contractors to the QMS system. Findings indicated that companies are forced to adopt the QMS rather than motivated from within the top management. The two distinctive incentives for adoption of QMS by the companies are to improve quality image and to satisfy client requirements, particularly the government. Concludes that motivation from within an organization is the only key to improving quality realistically.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss a self‐assessment scheme and processes that are developed for and applied to a R&D organization based on ISO 9004:2000. The presented self‐assessment has been performed during internal audits based on quality management system in Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) in Korea.

In order to enhance the reliability of the self‐assessment, the preliminary works such as training, workshop, case study and pre‐assessment rating are performed in advance before self‐assessment. Furthermore, this paper evaluates the reliability of self‐assessment results using Cohen's Kappa coefficient and the observed agreement index.

The results of this paper present that an organization's performance maturity level evolves sustainably through self‐assessment scheme and processes.

These results and lessons learned will be very useful to the organization that intends to enhance the performance of its R&D projects and processes and improve its processes continuously.

ISO 9004:2000 presents the guidelines of self‐assessment for the organization that intend to continually improve its performance considering the effectiveness and efficiency of a quality management system. According to ISO 9004, the range and depth of self‐assessment should be planned in relation to the organization's objectives and priorities. This paper discusses a self‐assessment scheme and processes that are developed for and applied to a R&D organization based on ISO 9004:2000.

The purpose of this paper is to report the first practical applications of FCAUP (Framework for Conformity Assessment inspired by the Uncertainty Principle) carried out using a pilot implementation in a boat trailer manufacturer company in Maryville, Tennessee, USA and a practical application in a metrology company in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.

Field studies have been conducted in two different companies: a pilot implementation during the preparation activities of the acceptance inspection of finished products and a practical application during the internal audit related to the quality management system.

(1) partial double inspection is advantageous in conformity assessment; (2) a structured procedure tends to reduce the risks arising from the use of partial double inspection; (3) the recommended amount of double inspections is directly proportional to the uncertainty involved in the process and it is inversely proportional to the degree of trust in a presumed conformity status.

This novel framework is for practitioners in manufacturing industries and test laboratories.

The results of these practical applications suggest that FCAUP is a consistent approach to be used in several categories of conformity assessment in manufacturing industries and test laboratories due to the balance between result and time (cost).

This new framework, named FCAUP, for planning and executing conformity assessment activities has been introduced in a theoretical study published by Moraes and Silva (2018) and it is based on an analogy with the Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Mechanics.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how organisational learning (OL) can occur through process improvement (PI) activities, leading to sustained improvements over time in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The authors study PI practices in six engineering-oriented SMEs via interview-based case studies. The authors draw from a range of literature and use an OL conceptual framework informed by Crossan et al.’s (1999) 4I framework as an analytical lens.

The OL perspective provides new insights to conceptualise the nature of PI as a multi-level practice in SMEs. Effective PI practices within SMEs are shown to be consistent with OL concepts, enabling firms to translate individually identified improvement opportunities into organisational-level changes that result in sustained benefits. A new conceptual model is presented that explains how SMEs can learn through improvement activities. The key role of management support, both operational and strategic, is highlighted. It is necessary for management to provide sufficient PI opportunities to enable and sustain beneficial learning.

The study is based on a sample of engineering-oriented SMEs located in the UK. Further case-based, longitudinal, and survey-based research studies with firms of different types will enhance the generalisability of the findings, allowing the confirmation and extension of the new conceptual model.

The findings provide a theoretically underpinned framework for achieving OL in engineering-oriented SMEs through PI activities. The new model highlights the key mechanisms that enable learning from improvement activities. The findings highlight the key role played by management in introducing additional learning opportunities in the form of new business that requires exploratory learning. Without this, the reduction in improvement opportunities reduces the benefits that can be realised from PI.

OL provides a multi-level perspective to understanding how smaller firms are able to undergo systematic improvements and the support required to continually improve.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the internal audit can contribute to an improvement in business performance. The goal is to develop a theoretical model of the integration of quality management systems (QMS) and an internal audit within a broader managerial system and performance reviews of the company.

A theoretical framework was developed for assessing the internal audit's contribution to the achievement of business goals. Based on the theoretically explained relationship two hypotheses related to impact of internal audits on business performance were empirically tested by a case study.

A mature QMS should contribute to the achievement of a company's efficiency, which can be based on the connection of quality goals with the company's strategic goals, and in relation to this implementation of the internal audit should also be upgraded to contribute to achievement of the company's efficiency and strategic goals. Accordingly, the results of internal audits and measures that follow the audit are discussed within a strategic internal analysis of the company.

Testing on a single case has limitations regarding the ability to generalise the results to a broader spectrum of companies, however the objective was to expand and generalise theory. With the confirmed hypothesis about the contribution and positive impact of the internal audit by the case study, the statistical generalisation by using the survey method represents a logical additional step. Further research should also analyse the relationship between subjective employee assessments and objective performance data.

Empirical results show that internal audit contributes to the achievement of business goals and that internal audit has more positive than negative effects on business performance. Therefore, the paper demonstrates that the results of an audit can be used as a foundation for choosing measures not only to assure the conformity of the QMS with the standard's requirements, but also to assure business improvements.

The paper identified the relations between three managerial systems: QMS, total quality management (TQM) (represented by the business excellence models) and strategic management. The systems are connected in the strategy development and in the analysis phase of the strategic decision‐making process. Paper integrated the internal audit into the company's performance review system. The identified positive effects of the QMS were used as a basis for assessing the internal audit's contribution to the achievement of business goals and improving company efficiency.

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.