The manager's guide to ISO 9000

Fortune magazine has called ISO hot new seal of quality...a standard of quality management, hugely popular in Europe, that is rapidly taking hold in the U.S. -- and around the globe. This step-by-step guide to ISO 9000, the first by a manager who has actually been through the certification process, will be invaluable to companies in a wide range of industries. Developed from seminars Kenneth Arnold has presented to the top training and quality groups in the country, The Manager's Guide to ISO 9000 reflects the hands-on experience gained in successfully implementing certified programs. Drawing on his experience with the five-phase certification process, Arnold explains the twenty elements of the ISO standard, detailing both the intent and the requirements. He shows how ISO is a unique standard that can be implemented in almost any type of business without modification, one of the few that allows for innovation and progress. As more and more companies such as Du Pont, General Electric, and Eastman Kodak urge suppliers to adopt the standard, an understanding of the standard's underlying principles becomes increasingly important. Arnold discusses these principles in detail and presents practical strategies for successful implementation, adaptable to a variety of industries -- from chemical manufacturing to banking. A quality evaluation form, a checklist for internal audits, and answers to thirty questions most often asked about certification are also provided as an added resource. Whether a company's goal is the attainment of ISO certification, or whether it is the development of an improved quality system for better business practices, thisbook provides the information necessary to facilitate the process. It is required reading for all types of organizations in all varieties of industry seeking higher standards of quality.