News and updates in device application, process and materials being applied in today's microelectronics industry

✍ Scribed by Keith Gurnett

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 146 KB
• Volume: 28
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0026-2692
• DOI: 10.1016/s0026-2692(97)83466-0

✦ Synopsis

Is implementing ISO9000 total quality management or total waste of time? A recent report stated that one of the first companies to gain ISO9000 accreditation had surrendered its certificate because it was costing money but was failing to improve business. "We haven't had a job since gaining accreditation that we wouldn't have got anyway," said the MD. He even went on to say that certification was more likely to lose money for a company, because the cost of complianceimplementing and auditing the system -pushed up production costs. The certificate itself cos~:s only a nominal sum, but companies can find themselves paying out large sums to bring in consultants in order to get the system right. ISO9000 tackles the question of the best way to run a coml?any, such as making sure that customers get what they ask for at an agreed price, on the right day. The system also has to be audited on a regular basis to maintain accreditation. But given the problems that some companies have encountered when implementing and auditing ISO9000, how do you decide that it is right for your company? ISO9000 is certainly right for companies when they've got production and management problems. There is no point in implementing it half-heartedly -what is needed is genuine commitment throughout the company. The main benefit of ISO9000 is improving the flow of information in a company. It's about