Management and measurement of quality in ISO 9000 organisations: An empirical study in Spain

The needs and demands of the present markets, which are becoming increasingly global and competitive, have favoured the development of quality management in large and small companies. Among the different strategies related to quality management that an organisation can develop, the establishment of quality systems in accordance with the requirements established in ISO 9000 standards has recently acquired a special importance. The ISO 9000 standards are widely used by many firms and are perceived by many customers as synonymous of quality. Consequently, it is considered to be of interest to carry out a thorough analysis of these standards by means of an empirical study focused on organisations with quality systems certified in Spain in accordance with the ISO 9001:2000 standard. In this paper, different points of interest related to the management and measurement of quality in ISO 9000 organisations will be highlighted, giving special attention to the establishment of Quality Cost systems in these organisations.