Methodology:ISO9000OverviewManycompaniesarenowfindingISO9000certificationtobearequirementtocompeteintheglobalmarketplace.Inmostcases,ISO9000certificationisviewedasacompetitiveadvantage,notalegislatedrequirement.Therefore,manycompaniesarenowchoosingtobecomeISO9000certifiedtoensuretheirproductsandservicesremaincompetitive.ThenumberofISO9000certifiedsitesisgrowingexponentiallythroughouttheworldinresponsetomarketdemand.AsofJune1994,70,517companiesworldwidewereISOregistered.IntheUnitedStates,5,100companieshadadoptedthestandardsasofDecember1994.Severalindustriesaredrivingthetrend.Forexample,theBigThreeautomotivecompaniesintheUnitedStates--Chrysler,FordandGeneralMotors--arerequiringtheirfirst-tiersuppliers(approximately13,000companies)tobecomecertifiedtoQS-9000(anautomotiveadaptationoftheISOstandards).OthermajormanufacturersintheelectronicsandchemicalindustriesareencouragingsupplierstobecomeISO9000certified.Asaresult,supplierstotheseindustriesareacceleratingtheirpursuitofISO9000registration.ThecertificationprocesswasinitiatedfromEuropeandstartedwithcertificationofmanufacturingcompanies,butnowmoreservicecompaniesareseekingISO9000compliance.TheISO9000standardsweredevelopedin1987bytheInternationalOrganizationforStandardizationinGeneva(ISO)andupdatedin1994.TheEuropeanCommunity(EC)adoptedthestandardsin1987.Bytheendof1994,thesestandardshadbeenadoptedby91countriesthroughouttheworld.TheobjectiveoftheISO9000standardsistohelpacompanyimplementaqualitysystemthatisabletoconsistentlymeettherequirementsofitscustomers.ISO9000certificationappliestothequalitysystem,nottoanindividualproductorservice.TheISO9000standardsconsistofthefollowingsetof5internationalstandards/guidelinesforqualitymanagementandqualityassurance.-ISO9000:Guidelinesforusingthestandards.-ISO9001:Modelforqualityassuranceindesign,production,installation,andservicing(engineeringgroupswithdesignfunctions).-ISO9002:Modelforthequalityassuranceinproductionandinstallation.-ISO9003:Modelforthequalityassuranceinfinalinspectionandtest.-ISO9004:Qualitymanagementandqualitysystemsguidelines.TheexpectationsarethatISOwillreleaseanewsetofstandardsin1996.TheISO14000standardswillfocusontheenvironmentalpolicyandshouldbeconsideredMethodology:ISO90001asthelinkbetweenenvironmentalsystemsandqualitysystems.ThemaindriversbehindtheISO14000standardsarethepublicscrutinyofenvironmentalprograms,andtheECdirectiveonenvironmentalmanagementandauditing.ArthurAndersen'sservicesrelatingtoISO9000involveconsultingwiththeclientandassistingtheclientinimplementingaqualitysystemthatcomplieswiththestandards.Ourservicesincludetechnicalexpertiseinapplyingtheguidelinestothecompany'sbusiness,assistanceindevelopingthedocumentationofpoliciesandprocedures,trainingofemployees,apre-assessmentreviewofthesystem,andprojectmanagementassistance.ArthurAndersenisnotanaccreditedregistraranddoesnotissueISO9000certification.TohelpclientsachievetheirISO9000certification,ArthurAndersenhasdevelopedanISOframeworkandapproach,usingourexperiencewithISO9000certificationandqualityimplementationengagements.Ourclientsontheseengagementsvariedfrom$5millionto$750millioninannualrevenue.TheISO9000frameworkcanbesummarizedasfollows:-Thecertificationcanonlyworkiftheright"drivers"areinplace:theCEO’scommitmenttoandhis/herenthusiasmforthecertificationiskeytothesuccessoftheengagement.-Thereisafive-phasedprocess...
