An Exploratory Study to Examine Relationships Between the Work Environment and Success of ISO 9000 Implementation in the Context of SMEs

The ISO 9000 standards are widely used throughout the world, and are becoming the most important quality standards. Thousands of enterprises all over the world have already adopted these standards, with many more in the process of doing so. A range of benefits can be achieved by the implementation of ISO 9000 standards, such as increased customer satisfaction, reduced defects, improved efficiency of the quality system, and improved market share. However Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) face difficulties when implementing ISO 9000 standards. This can be due to employees’ internal resistance to change, paperwork consumption, and high implementation and maintenance costs. Most SMEs are unable to cover the expenses of training and development programmes as a result of restricted financial resources.
The managers of SMEs planning to implement ISO 9000 standards and maintain the certification of ISO 9001 standard for long periods should create an empowering work environment in which continuous improvement can take place. The aim of this research is to examine the relationships between the work environment and success of ISO 9000 implementation in the context of SMEs. This study begins with the completion of a comprehensive literature review focused on Enterprise Strategy, ISO 9000 Standards and Organisational Development. The literature review is followed by the research methodology, which illustrates the methods and research tools used to collect data pertinent to this research. These include exploratory survey and case studies which led to the main findings of the research. The collected data have been analysed through the use of Social Package Statistical Software (SPSS) and Microsoft’s Excel software.
The findings of this research show that there are critical success factors that impact the work environment. These factors are represented in terms of temperature, noise, job security, individual recognition, salary, reward systems, quality awareness, and relationships. By integrating the literature review and the research findings, a simple work environment model has been devised. This model has been designed with consideration to the combination of factors described in the motivation theories of Maslow and Herzberg, along with health and safety legislations in the work place.
This research contributes to the redefinition of the work environment in ISO 9001 standard. The researcher has designed the Work Environment Assessment Guide as a document to aid SMEs in evaluating and subsequently improving their work environment.