TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT – TOYATA & TVS

Discover ISO Why standards matter

Standards make an enormous and positive contribution to most aspects of our lives.

Standards ensure desirable characteristics of products and services such as quality, environmental friendliness, safety, reliability, efficiency and interchangeability - and at an economical cost.

When products and services meet our expectations, we tend to take this for granted and be unaware of the role of standards. However, when standards are absent, we soon notice. We soon care when products turn out to be of poor quality, do not fit, are incompatible with equipment that we already have, are unreliable or dangerous.

When products, systems, machinery and devices work well and safely, it is often because they meet standards. And the organization responsible for many thousands of the standards which benefit the world is ISO.

What standards do

ISO standards:

make the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner

facilitate trade between countries and make it fairer provide governments with a technical base for health, safety and environmental

legislation, and conformity assessment share technological advances and good management practice disseminate innovation safeguard consumers, and users in general, of products and services make life simpler by providing solutions to common problems

Who standards benefit

ISO standards provide technological, economic and societal benefits.

For businesses, the widespread adoption of International Standards means that suppliers can develop and offer products and services meeting specifications that have wide international acceptance in their sectors. Therefore, businesses using International Standards can compete on many more markets around the world.

For innovators of new technologies, International Standards on aspects like terminology, compatibility and safety speed up the dissemination of innovations and their development into manufacturable and marketable products.

For customers, the worldwide compatibility of technology which is achieved when products and services are based on International Standards gives them a broad choice of offers. They also benefit from the effects of competition among suppliers.

For governments, International Standards provide the technological and scientific bases underpinning health, safety and environmental legislation.

For trade officials, International Standards create "a level playing field" for all competitors on those markets. The existence of divergent national or regional standards can create technical barriers to trade. International Standards are the technical means by which political trade agreements can be put into practice.

For developing countries, International Standards that represent an international consensus on the state of the art are an important source of technological know-how. By defining the characteristics that products and services will be expected to meet on export markets, International Standards give developing countries a basis for making the right decisions when investing their scarce resources and thus avoid squandering them.

For consumers, conformity of products and services to International Standards provides assurance about their quality, safety and reliability.

For everyone, International Standards contribute to the quality of life in general by ensuring that the transport, machinery and tools we use are safe.

For the planet we inhabit, International Standards on air, water and soil quality, on emissions of gases and radiation and environmental aspects of products can contribute to efforts to preserve the environment.  

Moser Bear – ISO 9001

About ISO ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards.

ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of 162 countries, one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system.

ISO is a non-governmental organization that forms a bridge between the public and private sectors. On the one hand, many of its member institutes are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. On the other hand, other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnerships of industry associations.

Therefore, ISO enables a consensus to be reached on solutions that meet both the requirements of business and the broader needs of society.

Because "International Organization for Standardization" would have different acronyms in different languages ("IOS" in English, "OIN" in French for Organisation internationale de normalisation), its founders decided to give it also a short, all-purpose name. They chose "ISO", derived from the Greek isos, meaning "equal". Whatever the country, whatever the language, the short form of the organization's name is always ISO.

ISO 9000

The ISO 9000 family of standards relate to quality management systems and are designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders (Poksinska et al, 2002 ). The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization and available through National standards bodies. ISO 9000 deals with the fundamentals of quality management systems (Tsim et al, 2002 ), including the eight management principles (Beattie and Sohal, 1999; Tsim et al, 2002) on which the family of standards is based. ISO 9001 deals with the requirements that organizations wishing to meet the standard have to fulfill.

Third party certification bodies provide independent confirmation that organizations meet the requirements of ISO 9001. Over a million organizations worldwide are independently certified, making ISO 9001 one of the most widely used management tools in the world today.

Reasons for use

The global adoption of ISO 9001 may be attributable to a number of factors. A number of major purchasers require their suppliers to hold ISO 9001 certification. In addition to several stakeholders’ benefits, a number of studies have identified significant financial benefits for organizations certified to ISO 9001, with a 2011 survey from the British Assessment Bureau showing 44% of their certified clients had won new business. Corbett et al (2005) showed that certified organizations achieved superior return on assets compared to otherwise similar organizations without certification. Heras et al (2002) found similarly superior performance and demonstrated that this was statistically significant and not a function of organization size. Naveh and Marcus (2007) showed that implementing ISO 9001 led to superior operational performance Sharma (2005) identified similar improvements in operating performance and linked this to superior financial performance. Chow-Chua et al (2002) showed better overall financial performance was achieved for companies in Denmark. Rajan and Tamimi (2003) showed that ISO 9001 certification resulted in superior stock market performance and suggested that shareholders were richly rewarded for the investment in an ISO 9001 system.

While the connection between superior financial performance and ISO 9001 may be seen from the above, there remains no proof of direct causation, though longitudinal studies, such as those of Corbett et al (2005) may suggest it. Other writers such as Heras et al (2002) have suggested that while there is some evidence of this, the improvement is partly driven by the fact that there is a tendency for better performing companies to seek ISO 9001 certification.

The mechanism for improving results has also been the subject of much research. Lo et al (2007) identified operational improvements (cycle time reduction, inventory reductions, etc.) as following from certification. Buttle (1997) and Santos (2002) both indicated internal process improvements in organizations leading to externally observable

improvements. Hendricks and Singhal (2001) results indicate that firms outperform their control group during the post implementation period and effective implementation of total quality management principles and philosophies leads to significant wealth creation. The benefit of increased international trade and domestic market share, in addition to the internal benefits such as customer satisfaction, interdepartmental communications, work processes, and customer/supplier partnerships derived, far exceeds any and all initial investment according to Alcorn.

Background

With permission of BSI Group

ISO 9000 was first published in 1987. It was based on the BS 5750 series of standards from BSI that were proposed to ISO in 1979. Its history can however be traced back some twenty years before that when the Department of Defense published its MIL-Q-9858 standard in 1959. MIL-Q-9858 was revised into the NATO AQAP series of standards in 1969, which in turn were revised into the BS 5179 series of guidance standards published in 1974, and finally revised into being the BS 5750 series of requirements standards in 1979, before being submitted to ISO.

BSI has been certifying organizations for their quality management systems since 1978. Its first certification (FM 00001) is still extant and held by the Tarmac company, a successor to the original company which held this certificate. Today BSI claims to certify organizations at nearly 70,000 sites globally. The development of the ISO 9000 series is shown in the diagram to the right.

Global adoption

The growth in ISO 9001 certification is shown in the table below. The worldwide total of ISO 9001 certificates can be found in the ISO Survey of 9001 in 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Worldwide total of ISO 9001:2000/2008 certificatesDec 2000

Dec 2001

Dec 2002

Dec 2003

Dec 2004

Dec 2005

Dec 2006

Dec 2007

Dec 2008

Dec 2009

457834 510349 561767 497919 660132 773867 896929 951486 982832 1064785

Source: ISO Survey 2009

In recent years there has been a rapid growth in China which now accounts for approximately a quarter of the global certifications.

Top 10 countries for ISO 9001 certificates - 2009Rank Country No. of certificates

1 China 2570762 Italy 1300663 Japan 684844 Spain 595765 Russian Federation 531526 Germany 471567 United Kingdom 411938 India 374939 USA 28935

10 Korea, Republic of 23400

In addition to these, ISO 9000:2008 requires a quality policy and Quality Manual (which may or may not include the above documents).

Summary of ISO 9000:2008 in informal language

The quality policy is a formal statement from management, closely linked to the business and marketing plan and to customer needs.

The quality policy is understood and followed at all levels and by all employees. Each employee works towards measurable objectives.

The business makes decisions about the quality system based on recorded data. The quality system is regularly audited and evaluated for conformance and

effectiveness. Records show how and where raw materials and products were processed, to

allow products and problems to be traced to the source. The business determines customer requirements.

The business has created systems for communicating with customers about product information, inquiries, contracts, orders, feedback and complaints.

When developing new products, the business plans the stages of development, with appropriate testing at each stage. It tests and documents whether the product meets design requirements, regulatory requirements and user needs.

The business regularly reviews performance through internal audits and meetings. The business determines whether the quality system is working and what improvements can be made. It has a documented procedure for internal audits.

The business deals with past problems and potential problems. It keeps records of these activities and the resulting decisions, and monitors their effectiveness.

The business has documented procedures for dealing with actual and potential nonconformances (problems involving suppliers or customers, or internal problems).

The business (1) makes sure no one uses bad product, (2) determines what to do with bad product, (3) deals with the root cause of problems, and (4) keep records to use as a tool to improve the system.

1987 version

ISO 9000:1987 had the same structure as the UK Standard BS 5750, with three 'models' for quality management systems, the selection of which was based on the scope of activities of the organization:

ISO 9001:1987 Model for quality assurance in design, development, production, installation, and servicing was for companies and organizations whose activities included the creation of new products.

ISO 9002:1987 Model for quality assurance in production, installation, and servicing had basically the same material as ISO 9001 but without covering the creation of new products.

ISO 9003:1987 Model for quality assurance in final inspection and test covered only the final inspection of finished product, with no concern for how the product was produced.

ISO 9000:1987 was also influenced by existing U.S. and other Defense Standards ("MIL SPECS"), and so was well-suited to manufacturing. The emphasis tended to be placed on conformance with procedures rather than the overall process of management—which was likely the actual intent.[citation needed]

1994 version

ISO 9000:1994 emphasized quality assurance via preventive actions, instead of just checking final product, and continued to require evidence of compliance with documented procedures. As with the first edition, the down-side was that companies tended to implement its requirements by creating shelf-loads of procedure manuals, and becoming burdened with an ISO bureaucracy. In some companies, adapting and improving processes could actually be impeded by the quality system.[citation needed]

2000 version

ISO 9001:2000 combines the three standards 9001, 9002, and 9003 into one, called 9001. Design and development procedures are required only if a company does in fact engage in the creation of new products. The 2000 version sought to make a radical change in thinking by actually placing the concept of process management front and center ("Process management" was the monitoring and optimizing of a company's tasks and activities, instead of just inspecting the final product). The 2000 version also demands involvement by upper executives, in order to integrate quality into the business system and avoid delegation of quality functions to junior administrators. Another goal is to improve effectiveness via process performance metrics — numerical measurement of the effectiveness of tasks and activities. Expectations of continual process improvement and tracking customer satisfaction were made explicit.

The ISO 9000 standard is continually being revised by standing technical committees and advisory groups, who receive feedback from those professionals who are implementing the standard.[1]

ISO 9001:2008 only introduces clarifications to the existing requirements of ISO 9001:2000 and some changes intended to improve consistency with ISO 14001:2004. There are no new requirements. Explanation of changes in ISO 9001:2008. A quality management system being upgraded just needs to be checked to see if it is following the clarifications introduced in the amended version.

Certification

ISO does not itself certify organizations. Many countries have formed accreditation bodies to authorize certification bodies, which audit organizations applying for ISO 9001 compliance certification. Although commonly referred to as ISO 9000:2000 certification, the actual standard to which an organization's quality management can be certified is ISO 9001:2008. Both the accreditation bodies and the certification bodies charge fees for their services. The various accreditation bodies have mutual agreements with each other to ensure that certificates issued by one of the Accredited Certification Bodies (CB) are accepted worldwide.

The applying organization is assessed based on an extensive sample of its sites, functions, products, services and processes; a list of problems ("action requests" or "non-compliance") is made known to the management. If there are no major problems on this list, or after it receives a satisfactory improvement plan from the management showing how any problems will be resolved, the certification body will issue an ISO 9001 certificate. The certificate is limited by a certain scope (e.g. production of golf balls) and names the locations covered.

An ISO certificate is not a once-and-for-all award, but must be renewed at regular intervals recommended by the certification body, usually around three years. There are no grades of competence within ISO 9001: either a company is certified (meaning that it is

committed to the method and model of quality management described in the standard), or it is not. In this respect, it contrasts with measurement-based quality systems such as the Capability Maturity Model.

Auditing

Two types of auditing are required to become registered to the standard: auditing by an external certification body (external audit) and audits by internal staff trained for this process (internal audits). The aim is a continual process of review and assessment, to verify that the system is working as it's supposed to, find out where it can improve and to correct or prevent problems identified. It is considered healthier for internal auditors to audit outside their usual management line, so as to bring a degree of independence to their judgments.

Under the 1994 standard, the auditing process could be adequately addressed by performing "compliance auditing":

Tell me what you do (describe the business process) Show me where it says that (reference the procedure manuals) Prove that this is what happened (exhibit evidence in documented records)

The 2000 standard uses a different approach. Auditors are expected to go beyond mere auditing for rote "compliance" by focusing on risk, status and importance. This means they are expected to make more judgments on what is effective, rather than merely adhering to what is formally prescribed. The difference from the previous standard can be explained thus:

Under the 1994 version, the question was broadly "Are you doing what the manual says you should be doing?", whereas under the 2000 version, the question is more specific "Will this process help you achieve your stated objectives? Is it a good process or is there a way to do it better?"

Industry-specific interpretations

The ISO 9001 standard is generalized and abstract. Its parts must be carefully interpreted, to make sense within a particular organization. Developing software is not like making cheese or offering counseling services; yet the ISO 9001 guidelines, because they are business, management guidelines can be applied to each of these. Diverse organizations—police departments (US), professional soccer teams (Mexico) and city councils (UK)—have successfully implemented ISO 9001:2000 systems.

Over time, various industry sectors have wanted to standardize their interpretations of the guidelines within their own marketplace. This is partly to ensure that their versions of ISO 9000 have their specific requirements, but also to try and ensure that more appropriately trained and experienced auditors are sent to assess them.

The TickIT guidelines are an interpretation of ISO 9000 produced by the UK Board of Trade to suit the processes of the information technology industry, especially software development.

AS9000 is the Aerospace Basic Quality System Standard, an interpretation developed by major aerospace manufacturers. Those major manufacturers include AlliedSignal, Allison Engine, Boeing, General Electric Aircraft Engines, Lockheed-Martin, McDonnell Douglas, Northrop Grumman, Pratt & Whitney, Rockwell-Collins, Sikorsky Aircraft, and Sundstrand. The current version is AS9100.

PS 9000 * QS 9000 is an interpretation agreed upon by major automotive manufacturers (GM, Ford, Chrysler). It includes techniques such as FMEA and APQP. QS 9000 is now replaced by ISO/TS 16949.

ISO/TS 16949:2009 is an interpretation agreed upon by major automotive manufacturers (American and European manufacturers); the latest version is based on ISO 9001:2008. The emphasis on a process approach is stronger than in ISO 9001:2008. ISO/TS 16949:2009 contains the full text of ISO 9001:2008 and automotive industry-specific requirements.

TL 9000 is the Telecom Quality Management and Measurement System Standard, an interpretation developed by the telecom consortium, QuEST Forum. The current version is 5.0 and unlike ISO 9001 or the above sector standards, TL 9000 includes standardized product measurements that can be benchmarked. In 1998 QuEST Forum developed the TL 9000 Quality Management System to meet the supply chain quality requirements of the worldwide telecommunications industry.

ISO 13485:2003 is the medical industry's equivalent of ISO 9001:2000. Whereas the standards it replaces were interpretations of how to apply ISO 9001 and ISO 9002 to medical devices, ISO 13485:2003 is a stand-alone standard. Compliance with ISO 13485 does not necessarily mean compliance with ISO 9001:2000.

ISO/IEC 90003:2004 provides guidelines for the application of ISO 9001:2000 to computer software.

ISO/TS 29001 is quality management system requirements for the design, development, production, installation and service of products for the petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries. It is equivalent to API Spec Q1 without the Monogram annex.

Effectiveness

The debate on the effectiveness of ISO 9000 commonly centers on the following questions:

1. Are the quality principles in ISO 9001:2000 of value? (Note that the version date is important: in the 2000 version ISO attempted to address many concerns and criticisms of ISO 9000:1994).

2. Does it help to implement an ISO 9001:2000 compliant quality management system?

3. Does it help to obtain ISO 9001:2000 certification?

Effectiveness of the ISO system being implemented depends on a number of factors, the most significant of which are:

1. Commitment of Senior Management to monitor, control, and improve quality. Organizations that implement an ISO system without this desire and commitment, often take the cheapest road to get a certificate on the wall and ignore problem areas uncovered in the audits.

2. How well the ISO system integrates into their business practices. Many organizations that implement ISO try to make their system fit into a cookie-cutter quality manual rather than create a manual that documents existing practices and only adds new processes to meet the ISO standard when necessary.

3. How well the ISO system focuses on improving the customer experience. The broadest definition of quality is "Whatever the customer perceives good quality to be". This means that you don't necessarily have to make a product that never fails, some customers will have a higher tolerance for product failures if they always receive shipments on-time, or some other dimension of customer service. Your ISO system should take into account all areas of the customer experience, the industry expectations, and seek to improve them on a continual basis. This means taking into account all processes that deal with the three stakeholders (your customers, your suppliers, and your organization), only then will you be able to sustain improvements in your customer experience.

4. How well the auditor finds and communicates areas of improvement. While ISO auditors may not provide consulting to the clients they audit, there is the potential for auditors to point out areas of improvement. Many auditors simply rely on submitting reports that indicate compliance or non-compliance with the appropriate section of the standard, however, to most executives, this is like speaking a foreign language. Auditors that can clearly identify and communicate areas of improvement in language and terms executive management understands allows the companies they audit to act on improvement initiatives. When management doesn't understand why they were non-compliant and the business implications, they simply ignore the reports and focus on what they do understand.

Advantages

It is widely acknowledged that proper quality management improves business, often having a positive effect on investment, market share, sales growth, sales margins, competitive advantage, and avoidance of litigation.The quality principles in ISO 9000:2000 are also sound, according to Wade and also to Barnes, who says that "ISO 9000 guidelines provide a comprehensive model for quality management systems that can make any company competitive implementing ISO often gives the following advantages:

1. Create a more efficient, effective operation2. Increase customer satisfaction and retention3. Reduce audits4. Enhance marketing5. Improve employee motivation, awareness, and morale6. Promote international trade7. Increase profit8. Reduce waste and increase productivity.

Problems

A common criticism of ISO 9001 is the amount of money, time and paperwork required for registration.[26] According to Barnes, "Opponents claim that it is only for documentation. Proponents believe that if a company has documented its quality systems, then most of the paperwork has already been completed."[27]

ISO 9001 is not in any way an indication that products produced using its certified systems are any good. A company can intend to produce a poor quality product and providing it does so consistently and with the proper documentation can put an ISO 9001 stamp on it. According to Seddon, ISO 9001 promotes specification, control, and procedures rather than understanding and improvement.[28][29] Wade argues that ISO 9000 is effective as a guideline, but that promoting it as a standard "helps to mislead companies into thinking that certification means better quality, ... [undermining] the need for an organization to set its own quality standards." [30] Paraphrased, Wade's argument is that reliance on the specifications of ISO 9001 does not guarantee a successful quality system.

While internationally recognized, most US consumers are not aware of ISO 9000 and it holds no relevance to them. The added cost to certify and then maintain certification may not be justified if product end users do not require ISO 9000. The cost can actually put a company at a competitive disadvantage when competing against a non ISO 9000 certified company.

The standard is seen as especially prone to failure when a company is interested in certification before quality. Certifications are in fact often based on customer contractual requirements rather than a desire to actually improve quality. "If you just want the certificate on the wall, chances are, you will create a paper system that doesn't have much to do with the way you actually run your business," said ISO's Roger Frost. Certification by an independent auditor is often seen as the problem area, and according to Barnes, "has become a vehicle to increase consulting services." In fact, ISO itself advises that ISO 9001 can be implemented without certification, simply for the quality benefits that can be achieved.

Another problem reported is the competition among the numerous certifying bodies, leading to a softer approach to the defects noticed in the operation of the Quality System of a firm.

Abrahamson argued that fashionable management discourse such as Quality Circles tends to follow a lifecycle in the form of a bell curve, possibly indicating a management fad.

ISO 9000 essentials This section concisely describes the essential features of the ISO 9000 family.

The ISO 9000 family of standards represents an international consensus on good quality management practices. It consists of standards and guidelines relating to quality management systems and related supporting standards.

ISO 9001:2008 is the standard that provides a set of standardized requirements for a quality management system, regardless of what the user organization does, its size, or whether it is in the private, or public sector. It is the only standard in the family against which organizations can be certified – although certification is not a compulsory requirement of the standard.

The other standards in the family cover specific aspects such as fundamentals and vocabulary, performance improvements, documentation, training, and financial and economic aspects.

Why an organization should implement ISO 9001:2008

Without satisfied customers, an organization is in peril! To keep customers satisfied, the organization needs to meet their requirements. The ISO 9001:2008 standard provides a tried and tested framework for taking a systematic approach to managing the organization's processes so that they consistently turn out product that satisfies customers' expectations.

How the ISO 9001:2008 model works

The requirements for a quality system have been standardized - but many organizations like to think of themselves as unique. So how does ISO 9001:2008 allow for the diversity of say, on the one hand, a "Mr. and Mrs." enterprise, and on the other, to a multinational manufacturing company with service components, or a public utility, or a government administration?

The answer is that ISO 9001:2008 lays down what requirements your quality system must meet, but does not dictate how they should be met in any particular organization. This leaves great scope and flexibility for implementation in different business sectors and business cultures, as well as in different national cultures.

Checking that it works

1. The standard requires the organization itself to audit its ISO 9001:2008-based quality system to verify that it is managing its processes effectively - or, to put it another way, to check that it is fully in control of its activities.

2. In addition, the organization may invite its clients to audit the quality system in order to give them confidence that the organization is capable of delivering products or services that will meet their requirements.

3. Lastly, the organization may engage the services of an independent quality system certification body to obtain an ISO 9001:2008 certificate of conformity. This last option has proved extremely popular in the market-place because of the perceived credibility of an independent assessment.

The organization may thus avoid multiple audits by its clients, or reduce the frequency or duration of client audits. The certificate can also serve as a business reference between the organization and potential clients, especially when supplier and client are new to each other, or far removed geographically, as in an export context.

The ISO brand

Democratic

Every full member of ISO has the right to take part in the development of any standard which it judges to be important to its country's economy. No matter what the size or strength of that economy, each participating member in ISO has one vote. Each country is on an equal footing to influence the direction of ISO's work at the strategic level, as well as the technical content of its individual standards.

Voluntary

ISO standards are voluntary. As a non-governmental organization, ISO has no legal authority to enforce the implementation of its standards. ISO does not regulate or legislate. However, countries may decide to adopt ISO standards - mainly those concerned with health, safety or the environment - as regulations or refer to them in legislation, for which they provide the technical basis. In addition, although ISO standards are voluntary, they may become a market requirement, as has happened in the case of ISO 9001 quality management systems, or of dimensions of freight containers and bank cards.

ISO itself does not regulate or legislate.

Market-driven

ISO only develops standards for which there is a market requirement. The work is mainly carried out by experts from the industrial, technical and business sectors which have asked for the standards, and which subsequently put them to use.

Consensus

ISO standards are based on international consensus among the experts in the field. Consensus, like technology, evolves and ISO takes account both of evolving technology and of evolving interests by requiring a periodic review of its standards at least every five years to decide whether they should be maintained, updated or withdrawn. In this way, ISO standards retain their position as the state of the art.

Globally relevant

ISO standards are technical agreements which provide the framework for compatible technology worldwide. They are designed to be globally relevant - useful everywhere in the world.

ISO standards are useful everywhere in the world.

How to recognize an ISO standard

In paper form, an ISO standard is published in A4 format - which is itself one of the ISO standard paper sizes. It may be anywhere between a four-page document and one several hundred pages' long. ISO standards are also available as electronic downloads and many are available as part of a collection on CD or in handbook. An ISO standard carries the ISO logo and the designation, "International Standard".

The scope of ISO's work

ISO has more than 18 500 International Standards and other types of normative documents in its current portfolio. ISO's work programme ranges from standards for traditional activities, such as agriculture and construction, through mechanical engineering, manufacturing and distribution, to transport, medical devices, information and communication technologies, and to standards for good management practice and for services.

Standards FAQs What can I do if I'm looking for a standard, but I'm not sure if it's an ISO standard or not?

Consult the World Standards Services Network, accessible via the ISO Online home page. It contains links to international, regional and national standardization bodies, including international and regional organizations which develop standards in their specialized subject area, in addition to their principal activity.

Where can I find links to other international, regional or national standardization bodies, or information about their standards?

Consult the World Standards Services Network, accessible via the ISO Online home page. It contains links to international, regional and national standardization bodies, including international and regional organizations which develop standards in their specialized subject area, in addition to their principal activity.

How can I find out which standards are equivalent to ISO standards?

ISO itself does not have data on equivalent standards (such as national or regional standards). However, a number of ISO members are able to provide this information. Therefore, please contact the ISO member in your country.

Can I access ISO standards on ISO Online or some other electronic database?

You can find out what standards exist in ISO's portfolio by accessing the ISO Catalogue.and you can download electronic versions of the ISO standards you need via the ISO Store. There is no electronic access to the content of the whole collection of ISO standards or its parts. However, some ISO members provide such a possibility through their subscription services. The links to ISO members and other standardization bodies are provided via WSSN.

Are any ISO standards available electronically?

All ISO standards are available online as electronic files, most of them in PDF format. Those which are not in PDF format are available in HTML. Some standards which contain electronic inserts in various file formats are also available on CD or DVD.You can order these through the ISO member in your country or via the ISO Store.

Where can I obtain technical assistance on standards?

Contact the ISO member in your country. A list of members can be accessed on this site. The ISO Central Secretariat does not provide technical assistance, but the online enquiry service may be able to help you save time by directing you to appropriate sources of information.

Can I order ISO standards and publications via ISO Online?

Yes, you can order ISO standards and publications via the ISO Online Web Store. However,  we should note that you can also order ISO standards and publications from the ISO member in your country.

Can I reproduce material from ISO standards?

All ISO publications, including ISO standards, are protected by copyright. See the ISO copyright guide page for further information. Formal permission is always required to reproduce material (copyright@iso.org).

I've heard the word `standard', but how would I know an ISO standard if I saw one?

An ISO standard can be anything from a four-page document to one several hundred pages' long. It is usually also available in electronic form. It carries the ISO logo and the designation International Standard. In most cases, the paper version is published in A4 format - which is itself one of the ISO standard paper sizes. The standardization of paper sizes is a typical example of ISO's work: agreement on a sufficient number of variations of a product to meet most current applications allows economies of scale with cost benefits to both producers and consumers.

What can I expect to find in an ISO standard?

An ISO standard is a documented agreement containing technical specifications or other precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteristics to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. It is a living agreement that can have a profound influence on things that deserve to be taken seriously - such as the safety, reliability and efficiency of machinery and tools, means of transport, toys, medical devices, and so on.

Could you give me a few practical examples of ISO standards?

Take a look at the graphical symbols on the dashboard of your car or at the pictorial symbol on a package marked with handling instructions such as "This way up". Various ISO technical committees have developed or adopted hundreds of carefully researched signs and symbols that convey clear-cut messages which cross language boundaries.

On the inside cover of nearly every book, there is something called an ISBN number. ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Publishers and booksellers are very familiar with ISBN numbers, since they are the keyway that books are ordered and bought. Try buying a book on the Internet, and you will soon learn the value of the ISBN number - there is a unique number for the book you want! And, it is based on an ISO standard.

Almost everything you need and use for work and home comes from somewhere else. Whether departure and destination points are as close as A to B, or as far apart as Antwerp and Bangkok, freight containers ensure a smooth passage for your goods and materials. From truck to train, from boat to plane, there are more than five million freight containers transiting across the globe. This has become possible principally through international standardization.

Yet another example: the chair that you're probably sitting on, or the desk your computer is perched on, are held together by bolts and screws. Humble bolts and screws also hold together our children's bicycles - and also the aircraft we trust our lives to during business trips or holiday travel. The diversity of screw threads used to represent big problems for industry, particularly in maintenance, as lost or damaged nuts and bolts could not easily be replaced. A global solution is supplied in the ISO standards for metric screw threads.

Also, the credit card you may have used to buy your computer can be used worldwide because all its basic features are based on ISO standards. We are so familiar with many objects, like credit or telephone cards, that we tend to assume they just "fell out of the sky". In fact, the ease with which we can use them can be traced back to an ISO standard.

Further examples are given in the ISO Café and Widely used standards sections.

INTRODUCTION

The primary objective of any organization is survival. Survival in the industrial

context means delivering products that satisfy the required Quality, Quantity and

Schedule. Organizations have been widely implementing the TQM (Total Quality

Management) methodology to ensure that their products meet the set quality standards.

The TQM method of management begins and ends with the customer. It is purely a

customer- oriented method of management. TQM mainly focuses on ensuring employee

participation in solving problems to help a steady improvement of the organization.

Employee participation is however cross- functional and extends beyond the hierarchical

limits. TQM deals with concepts like product quality, process control, quality assurance

and quality improvement. In other words it controls all transformation processes of an

organization, which are aimed at satisfying customer’s needs to the best in a cost

effective way. TQM owes its success to internal or self control policy in each of the units

of the work system. Internal control helps push the problem solving and decision making

functions down the hierarchical levels in an organization. As such, people who work on

the product being processed can adopt corrective measures immediately if needed. This

helps the organization to respond to its customers needs quickly and efficiently.

However, experts have different versions of applying TQM effectively to their

organizations. For some, quality management is driven by the need to ensure customer

satisfaction. For others it’s the internal productivity or cost improvement programme.

TQM is also viewed as methods that introduce participative management.

Japanese organizations focus on customer satisfaction to effectively apply TQM

programmes. Americans, on the other hand focus on cost related issues like cost of non-

conference and on the need for employees to meet pre-established requirements for each

process. These efforts are based on the wrong assumption that processes that help realize

the quality standards are fully understood. However, exercising control over production

process does not help organizations to expand their market share unless the products meet

customer requirements.

In order to comprehend the need for improvement in the automobile industry and

to better manage their projects and automobile companies, they need to look for a method

to do so. Automobile Engineers need to improve their performance. Automobile

manufacturing costs are becoming far too high. Automobile manufacturing project

management is more difficult than it should be. When turnaround at the end of a project

becomes a gut-wrenching experience with unnecessary disputes (which must be settled)

that arise due to insufficient quality or indifference to quality, settlement by negotiation,

arbitration, or even litigation imposes a serious drain on the financial resources of a

company and limits profit potential.

To be competitive in today’s market, it is essential for the automobile companies to

provide more consistent quality and value to their owners/customers. Now is the time to

place behind us the old adversarial approach to managing car manufacturing work. It is

time to develop better and more direct relationships with the owners/customers, to initiate

more teamwork at the jobsite, and to produce better quality work.

Such goals demand that a Continuous Improvement (CI) process be established

within the company in order to provide quality management. Ancient Greeks referred to

the concept of continuous improvement as well as the Chinese. Recently CI has been

referred to as Total Quality Management (TQM). Whichever name is preferred; the

concept must be understood and applied to a firm’s operations. Meeting owner/customer

requirements (providing customer satisfaction) is a primary objective of quality

management, and technical engineers who are the suppliers of automobile services must

address owner/customer requirements if they are to succeed. The automobile industry

exists to provide a service to its owners/customers who are becoming more demanding

and are seeking higher quality, better value, and lower costs. These owner/customer

requirements mirror the economic pressures they face in their own businesses.

Implementing total quality management / continuous improvement in managing everyday

automobile manufacturing activities is relevant to all those who participate in and

contribute to the manufacturing process.

Defining TQM

TQM is a management philosophy that seeks to integrate all organizational functions

(marketing, finance, design, engineering, and production, customer service, etc.) to focus

on meeting customer needs and organizational objectives.TQM views an organization as

a collection of processes. It maintains that organizations must strive to continuously

improve these processes by incorporating the knowledge and experiences of workers. The

simple objective of TQM is "Do the right things, right the first time, every time". TQM is

infinitely variable and adaptable. Although originally applied to manufacturing

operations, and for a number of years only used in that area, TQM is now becoming

recognized as a generic management tool, just as applicable in service and public sector

organizations. There are a number of evolutionary strands, with different sectors creating

their own versions from the common ancestor. TQM is the foundation for activities,

which include:

Commitment by senior management and all employees

Meeting customer requirements

Reducing development cycle times

Just In Time/Demand Flow Manufacturing

Improvement teams

Reducing product and service costs

Systems to facilitate improvement

Line Management ownership

Employee involvement and empowerment

Recognition and celebration

Challenging quantified goals and benchmarking

Focus on processes / improvement plans

Specific incorporation in strategic planning

This shows that TQM must be practiced in all activities, by all personnel, in Manufacturing, Marketing, Engineering, R&D, Sales, Purchasing, HR, etc

QUALITY POLICY

This statement makes mention of company commitment towards quality, customer

satisfaction and stakeholders.

MISSION

Mission describes the activities for achieving the Vision. The mission is the cause and the

vision the effect. The mission statement may also contain verb (design, train, maintain,

etc.) + object (system, strategy, etc.) + time limit (should be same time frame as vision).

The mission of the organization should state:

It says how to achieve the vision within a certain time frame.

Indicates the activities to achieve the vision.

It shows commitment and submitted by stakeholders.

I t is understood from top management to line workers, including the public, customers,

and suppliers.

VISION

Vision and mission have a cause and effect relationship. Vision should reflect what the

organization sees for itself 5-10 years down the road. The short time frame helps assure

that the organization revitalizes itself every decade or so. The vision statement should

contain direction (improve, decrease, etc.) + indicator (quality, customer satisfaction,

etc.) + target value (how much, #, %, etc.) + time limit (by when).

The vision of the organization should state:

It states future products or services, a future market area, such as global/international.

Stakeholders submit it.

It should be a simple statement. One page visions inappropriate.

It has to be understood from top management to line workers, including the public,

customers, and suppliers.

Principles of TQM

TQM calls for a cultural transformation that requires employee involvement at all levels

and a spirit of teamwork among customers, suppliers, employees, and managers.

Employee involvement, participation and empowerment form the cornerstones of TQM.

There are certain essential principles, which can be implemented to secure greater market

share, increase profits and reduce cost. The five principles to guarantee success are as

follows:

Management Commitment

1. Plan (drive, direct)

2. Do (deploy, support, participate)

3. Check (review)

4. Act (recognize, communicate, revise)

Employee Empowerment

1. Training

2. Suggestion scheme

3. Measurement and recognition

4. Excellence teams

Fact Based Decision Making

1. SPC (statistical process control)

2. The 7 statistical tools

3. TOPS (FORD 8D - Team Oriented Problem Solving)

Continuous Improvement

1. Systematic measurement and focus on CONQ

2. Excellence teams

3. Cross-functional process management

4. Attain, maintain, improve standards

Customer Focus

1. Service relationship with internal customers

2. Never compromise quality

3. Customer driven standards

History of TQM

The roots of Total Quality Management (TQM) can be traced back to early 1920s when

statistical theory was first applied to product quality control. This concept was further

developed in Japan in the 40s led by Americans, such as Deming, Juran and Feigenbaum.

The focus widened from quality of products to quality of all issues within an

organization. The following information helps us to know about the historical evolution

of TQM.

The historical evolution of TQM has taken place in 4 stages, namely;

I. Quality Inspection,

II. Quality Control,

III. Quality Assurance

IV. Total Quality Management (TQM).

Quality control, as we know it probably had its beginnings in the factory system that developed following the Industrial Revolution. Products were made from non-standardized materials using non-standardized method. The result was products of varying quality. The only real standards used were measures of dimensions, weight, and quality . The most common form of quality control was inspection made by the purchaser where poor quality product found would be separated from acceptable quality product and then would be scrapped, reworked or sold as lower quality. Inspection took place mainly to ensure that the sorting of conformance and non-conformance product can be done and mostly involved visual inspection or testing of the product following manufacture.

With further industrial advancement, came the second stage of TQM development and quality was controlled through supervised skills, written specification, measurement and standardization. Frederick W. Taylor developed his system of scientific management, which emphasized productivity at the expense of quality such as work-study. Methods of statistical quality control and the development of Shewhart’s control chart, acceptance-

sampling methods by Dodge Roming during the period 1924-1931 helped this era to prosper further from the inspection era.

The third stage of quality evolution is an emphasis of the change from detection activities towards prevention of poor quality or defects. In this stage, called Quality Assurance, it aims to provide sufficient confidence that a product or service will satisfy customers needs by performing systems audit, Failure Mode and Effect Analysis, design of experiment and similar initiatives. Most of these traditional quality control measures were designed as a defense mechanism to prevent failure or eliminate defects. Other activities such as comprehensive quality manual, use of quality cost, development of process control and auditing of quality system are also developed in order to progress from quality control to quality assurance.

The last stage of this development, i.e. TQM, involves the understanding and implementation of quality management principles and concepts in every aspect of business activities. Utilization of these activities provides the customer with the best product or service at the lowest cost. The aim should be continued quality improvement, which has become a critical distinction in today’s competitive arena where the winning strategy is to gain customer loyalty. This is because anyone is able to produce or sell a product at a lower cost but not everyone can offer value with that product. Following World War II, the quality of products produced in the United States declined as manufacturers tried to keep up with the demand for non- military goods that had not been produced during the war. It was during this period that the development of TQM took place with the contributions of various American experts who developed theories and practical techniques for improving quality. The pioneers were W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M. Juran, Armand V. Feigenbaum, and Philip Crosby.

Characteristics of the different stages in TQM

I. Quality Inspection SalvageSortingCorrective actionIdentify sources of non-conformance

II. Quality Control Quality manualPerformance dataSelf-inspectionProduct testingQuality planningUse of statistics Paperwork control

III. Quality Assurance Third-party approvalsSystem auditsQuality planningQuality manuals Quality costsProcess controlFailure mode and effect analysisNon-production operations

IV. Total Quality Management Focused visionContinuous improvements Internal customersPerformance measurePreventionCompany-wide application Interdepartmental barriers Management leadership

STAGE CHARACTERISTICS

Deming’s View

Deming is best known for developing a system of statistical quality control, although his contribution goes substantially beyond those techniques. His philosophy begins with top management but maintains that a company must adopt the fourteen points of this system at all levels. He believes that quality must be built into the product at all stages in order to achieve a high level of excellence. He introduces statistics as a management tool and relies on statistical process control as a means of managing variations in a process. He developed what is known as the Deming Chain reaction; as quality improves, costs will decrease and productivity will increase, resulting in more jobs, greater market share and long term survival. Juran, like Deming was invited to Japan in 1954 by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). His lecture introduced the managerial dimensions of planning, organizing, and controlling and focused on the responsibility of management to achieve quality and the need for setting goal. Juran defines quality as fitness for use in terms of design, conformance, availability, safety, and field use. Thus, his concept more closely incorporates the point of view of the customer. He advocated ten steps to quality improvement that has a broader concept than Deming which emphasis more on the responsibility of management to achieve total quality. Crosby (1979) stresses motivation and planning and does not dwell much on statistical process control and the problem-solving techniques of Deming and Juran. Like Deming, Crosby has his own fourteen points that he believes to be good quality practices for a company to adopt. He believes that quality is free because the small cost of prevention will always be lower than the cost of detection, correction and failure. Armand Feigenbaum also achieves visibility through his work with the Japanese. Unlike Deming and Juran, he used a total quality control (TQC) approach that may very well be the forerunner of today’s TQM. He defined TQC as “an effective system for integrating the quality development, quality maintenance, and quality-improvement efforts of the various groups in an organization so as to enable production and service at the most economical levels which allow for full customer satisfaction”. Consequently, Japanese companies have also developed their own approach to TQC by Ishikawa based on the teachings of Deming and Juran and shaping it to suit their own culture and operating environment along with the development of a new set of tools and techniques and operating systems. The Japanese style of TQC, Company Wide Quality Control (CWQC) means that “Quality control consists of developing, designing, producing, marketing and servicing products and services with optimum cost-effectiveness and usefulness, which customers will purchase with satisfaction. To achieve these aims, all the separate parts of a company must work together”. Looking at Feigenbaum’s and Ishikawa’s definitions, one can see that there are no major differences. However, Ishikawa (1985) is of the view that the difference between CWQC and Feigenbaum’s approach is that TQC be conducted by QC specialists while CWQC has never been an exclusive domain of such specialists. It can be seen that the focus in the

participation of employees is weak and the task of improving quality is given to managers. At the end of 1970s and the beginning of 1980s, as a result of Japanese pressure and the success of some American writers, it created a general concern about the focus on quality management in the United States and from this country to the rest of the world. Finally, the publication of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and other similar awards in other countries was the official recognition of the importance of TQM.

Deming’s Fourteen Points:

Presented below are Deming’s fourteen points for total quality management.

Create constancy of purpose for improvement of product and service. (Plan to stay in

business.)

Adopt the new philosophy. (Stop tolerating poor quality.)

Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. (Improve the process.)

End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag alone. (Seek longer

term supplier relationships; reduce the number of suppliers.)

Improve constantly and forever every process in the system of planning, production,

and service.

Institute modern training (for everybody!).

Institute modern methods of supervision. (The responsibility of foremen must be

changed from sheer numbers to QUALITY.)

Drive out fear. (Encourage employees to speak up.)

Break down barriers between departments.

Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the work force.

Eliminate work standards that prescribe numerical quotas.

Remove barriers to pride in workmanship. (Poor supervisors, poor materials,

inadequate equipment, lack of training, etc.)

Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone.

Place everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation and create

a structure in top management that will push every day on the above points.

TQM Philosophy

The TQM philosophy provides the overall concept that fosters continuous improvement

in an organization. This philosophy stresses a systematic, integrated, consistent,

organization-wide perspective involving everyone and everything. It focuses primarily on

total satisfaction for both internal and external customers within a management

environment that seeks continuous improvement of all systems and processes.

Continuous improvements can be achieved through internal and external quality

improvements. The below figure shows how to achieve higher profit by stressing on

internal and external quality improvements. Internal improvements refer to the utilization

of resources and preventing defects and problems in the process. Gradually, this result in

the effectiveness of controlling and minimizing production cost which in turn yield to

higher profits. Similarly, external quality improvements put more emphasis on designing

quality into the product, which aims to earn higher profits by remaining competitive with

a bigger market share. This can be done through the ability of companies to respond

quickly to the demands of their customer and offering them with a better value added

services.

Continuous Improvement

Internal improvements:Better use of recourses, more efficient process, etc.

External improvements:Better product quality, better service quality, etc.

Fewer mistakes/ errors More satisfied customer

Lower costs Bigger market value

Higher Profits

Continuous improvements and their consequences

Key Concepts of Total Quality Management include

Structured system for exceeding customer expectations

System that empowers employees

Drives higher profits

Drives lower costs

Continuous improvement.

Management centered approach on improving quality.

Benefits of TQM include

Improves competitive position

Increase adaptability to global markets

Elevated productivity

Superior global image

Eliminates defects

Significantly reduces waste.

Reduces quality costs

Improves management communication

Raises profits

Drives customer focus

Customer loyalty

Reduces design time.

Structure of TQM

Introduction

Total quality management (TQM) process and structure can be divided in three parts as

follows:

1. Total employee involvement (TEI)

2. Just in time/ waste elimination (JIT)

3. Total quality control (TQC)

Quality policy, vision and mission are the philosophical back up pillars of TQM. For any

company these are essential points. These are to be decided by all the employees of the

company by the method of consensus.

(1) Total Employee involvement (TEI)

The basic thinking is that human should not be considered as Robert or machine.

They should be treated with respect and consideration. An organization has no of

people working for a purpose. Every person has important role to play. Organization

will be most effective if all employees work together and harmoniously, to achieve

common role.

TEI is achieved through following methods:

a. Kaizen and housekeeping: at level of individual employee

b. SGA, quality circle: small group activity-to tackle pain area in the inter-

department issues

c. KBP/ BPR: Key business process-to tackle pain area in the management or at the

corporate functional area

KBP or BPR:

Key business process or business process reengineering is the activity conducted at

senior management level to tackle pain areas at the total company level. There are

issues, which cannot be resolved, which are interdepartmental cases. These need to be

addressed at senior level. This gives competitive edge organization to excel. It is

process towards delighting customers and stakeholders and deriving vision and

mission, which is common goal for all the employees. There can be more than one

process. Often the process cuts across the functions. There can be series of activities

and need functional expertise. Some examples of BPR are as follows:

(a) Development of new products, new processes, new markets.

(b) Eliminating interdepartmental problems, excess documentation, material

movement.

(c) Faster development/introduction of new products.

(d) Direct approach to customer, new business developments, capital investment.

Working of BPR team is to be done like quality circles team.

(2) Just in time-(JIT)

A structural approach in the manufacturing organization is focused on improving

timeliness, quality and flexibility utilizing various methods of work simplification

and waste reduction.

At all the stages where the material waits is the pipeline in the factory. This waiting

has to be avoided. This pipeline starts from a material receiving in the factory to

material goes out of factory. That has to be eliminated.

Example: In a manufacturing plant of well known automobile company parts for

assembly arrive by number of trains every morning and the parts go directly to

assembly shop and not to warehouse. T here is no warehouse to keep so many parts.

There are number of plants like that all over the world.

(3) Total quality control

Total quality control is applicable to all the functions.

Quality at work, service, information, process, divisional units, people, system and

company has to be maintained at minimum cost.

7QC Tools:

(1) Stratify data.

(2) Pareto diagram.

(3) Cause and effect diagram.

(4) Histogram.

(5) Scattered diagram.

(6) Check sheets.

(7) Control charts.

PDCA:

This is the concept used to take up and implement any project.

In the plan phase we have to set goals, decide objectives. Clarify different issues. Find

solutions through method of discussions, brainstorming etc. Team to take decisions.

Decide tools to be used. We have set target dates.

In do phase we have to work out the plans as per the decisions taken in plan phase.

In the check phase we have to measure the progress of work done. We have to use tools

from 7 QC tools, such as Pareto, run chart, control chart, histogram, etc.

ACT

Check

Plan

Do

Take appropriate

action

Determine goals and

targets

Implement work

Check the effects of implementation

In the phase of Act we have to see whether the set goals are achieved or not. Whether we

got solution? If answer is negative we have to repeat the cycle until we get a proper

solution. If yes, start new cycle.

It is seen that in Japan the planning phase is longer and with lot of thinking. It reduces

period of next phases “Do, Check and Act”. Also we get better results with less

expenditure. More time spent on planning reduces time considerably for further phases.

The systematic way to ensure the development the product failure, characteristics,

specifications, as well as the selection and development of process equipment, methods,

and control are driven by the demands of the customer or market place.

Customer has become more cost and value conscious. Price incentive will only appease

customer temporarily. Customers are demanding, ever improving levels of quality. They

will go somewhere else if you do not give what they want.

Time to market is increasing critical to capture market share. It is easy to capture market

share by being the first.

For this we have to reduce product development cycle.

Comparison To Six Sigma

In comparison, Six Sigma is more than just a process improvement program as it is based

on concepts that focus on continuous quality improvements for achieving near perfection

by restricting the number of possible defects to less than 3.4 defects per million. It is

complementary to Statistical Process Control (SPC), which uses statistical methods for

monitoring and controlling business processes. Although both SPC and TQM help in

improving quality, they often reach a stage after which no further quality improvements

can be made. Six Sigma, on the other hand, is different as it focuses on taking quality

improvement processes to the next level.

The basic difference between Six Sigma and TQM is the approach. While TQM views

quality as conformance to internal requirements, Six Sigma focuses on improving quality

by reducing the number of defects. The end result may be the same in both the concepts

(i.e. producing better quality products). Six Sigma helps organizations in reducing

operational costs by focusing on defect reduction, cycle time reduction, and cost savings.

It is different from conventional cost cutting measures that may reduce value and quality.

It focuses on identifying and eliminating costs that provide no value to customers such as

costs incurred due to waste.

TQM initiatives focus on improving individual operations within unrelated business

processes whereas Six Sigma programs focus on improving all the operations within a

single business process. Six Sigma projects require the skills of professionals that are

certified as ‘black belts’ whereas TQM initiatives are usually a part-time activity that can

be managed by non-dedicated managers.

TQM Difficulties

Total Quality Management can be difficult to achieve. Before implementing a TQM

program a company must understand that

This is not a phase. It is permanent

If you fail, it can have long lasting damage to the employees morale

It may take up to 5 years to fully become a TQM company.

It requires full cooperation and commitment from all managers. This includes

from the owner to all line managers

It is a culture change. The old ways of management disappear.

What are the barriers to implementing TQM?

Lack of management commitment

Company culture cannot change

Plans are not well thought out.

Poor measurement techniques

Lack of teamwork.

Focus on short term profits

High employee turnover

Lack of training. No one to lead the company through the process

Management does not reward success

Employees are fearful of losing their jobs.

Introduction of Automobile

According to the History of Automobile Industry US, dominated the automobile

markets around the globe with no notable competitors. However, after the end of the

Second World War in 1945, the Automobile Industry of other technologically advanced

nations such as Japan and certain European nations gained momentum and within a very

short period, beginning in the early 1980s, the U.S Automobile Industry was flooded with

foreign automobile companies, especially those of Japan and Germany.

The current trends of the Global Automobile Industry reveal that in the developed

countries the Automobile Industries are stagnating as a result of the drooping car markets,

whereas the Automobile Industry in the developing nations, such as, India and Brazil,

have been consistently registering higher growth rates every passing year for their

flourishing domestic automobile markets.

AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

HISTORY

In the year 1769, a French engineer by the name of Nicolas J. Cugnot invented

the first automobile to run on roads. This automobile, in fact, was a self-powered, three-

wheeled, military tractor that made the use of a steam engine. The range of the

automobile, however, was very brief and at the most, it could only run at a stretch for

fifteen minutes. In addition, these automobiles were not fit for the roads as the steam

engines made them very heavy and large, and required ample starting time. Oliver Evans

was the first to design a steam engine driven automobile in the U.S.

A Scotsman, Robert Anderson, was the first to invent an electric carriage between 1832

and 1839. However, Thomas Davenport of the U.S.A. and Scotsman Robert Davidson

were amongst the first to invent more applicable automobiles, making use of non-

rechargeable electric batteries in 1842. Development of roads made travelling

comfortable and as a result, the short ranged, electric battery driven automobiles were no

more the best option for travelling over longer distances.

The Automobile Industry finally came of age with Henry Ford in 1914 for the bulk

production of cars. This lead to the development of the industry and it first begun in the

assembly lines of his car factory. The several methods adopted by Ford, made the new

invention (that is, the car) popular amongst the rich as well as the masses.

According the History of Automobile Industry US, dominated the automobile markets

around the globe with no notable competitors. However, after the end of the Second

World War in 1945, the Automobile Industry of other technologically advanced nations

such as Japan and certain European nations gained momentum and within a very short

period, beginning in the early 1980s, the U.S Automobile Industry was flooded with

foreign automobile companies, especially those of Japan and Germany.

The current trends of the Global Automobile Industry reveal that in the developed

countries the Automobile Industries are stagnating as a result of the drooping car markets,

whereas the Automobile Industry in the developing nations, such as, India and Brazil,

have been consistently registering higher growth rates every passing year for their

flourishing domestic automobile markets.

HISTORY OF AUTOMOBILE IN INDIA

An embryonic automotive industry emerged in India in the 1940s. Following the

independence, in 1953, the Government of India and the private sector launched efforts to

create an automotive component manufacturing industry to supply to the automobile

industry. However, the growth was relatively slow in the 1950s and 1960s due to

nationalization and the license raj which hampered the Indian private sector. After 1970,

the automotive industry started to grow, but the growth was mainly driven by tractors,

commercial vehicles and scooters. Cars were still a major luxury. Japanese manufacturers

entered the Indian market ultimately leading to the establishment of Maruti Udyog. A

number of foreign firms initiated joint ventures with Indian companies. In the 1980s, a

number of Japanese manufacturers launched joint-ventures for building motorcycles and

light commercial-vehicles. It was at this time that the Indian government chose Suzuki

for its joint-venture to manufacture small cars. Following the economic liberalizations in

1991 and the gradual weakening of the license raj, a number of Indian and multi-national

car companies launched operations. Since then, automotive component and automobile

manufacturing growth has accelerated to meet domestic and export demands.

The future of car manufacturing in India is bright. Sensing this, foreign car manufacturers

like Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki, Honda and Skoda are spreading their base in the

country. Domestic car manufacturers have also contributed to the growth of the

automobile industry in India. The popular car manufacturers in India are:

Fiat India Private Ltd: The Fiat India that belongs to the Fiat Auto Spa group of Italy

gives world-class cars to the country. This group has entered the motor vehicle sector

more than one hundred years ago and has earned fame not only in India, but also abroad.

Besides 'Uno', which is Europe's favorite car for the last two decades, the brands like

Palio, linea, punto and Adventure have also become famous.

Ford India Private Ltd: It was originally an American company. It entered the Indian

market in the year 1988 and launched Ford Escort. The Ford Ikon launched in 2001 was a

successful car in India. Other brands of Ford like Ford Fusion, Ford Fiesta, Ford Mondeo

and Ford Endeavour also gained popularity in India.

General Motors India: This global leader entered the Indian market as a joint venture

with the C.K. now it is a fully owned subsidiary of the Birla Group. This group has also

introduced cars like Chevrolet Optra and Chevrolet Tavera (MUV) in India.

Hindustan Motors: This flagship company of the C.K. Birla Group was established by

Mr. B.M. Birla. Some of the most popular brands of this car manufacturer are

Ambassador, Contessa and Mitsubishi Lancer. Other remarkable brands of this company

are Trekker, Porter and Pushpak.

Hyundai Motors: Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is not only the second largest

car manufacturer in India, but is also the fastest growing among the car manufacturers in

India. The popularity of Santro, Getz, Accent, Elantra, Sonata Embera and Tuscon is

proof of its success. The company is an ISO 14001.

Maruti Udyog: This is the first automobile company in the world to have an ISO

9000:2000 certificate. It has a joint venture with Suzuki Motor Corporation. The popular

models of this group are Alto, Baleno, Swift, Wagon-R and Zen.

Tata Motors Limited: It is India's largest automobile company, the largest commercial

vehicle manufacturer, the second largest passenger car manufacturer in India and the fifth

largest medium and heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world. The popular

brands of the company are Tata Indica, Tata Indigo, Tata Sumo and Tata Safari.

Tata Nano: Recently Tata Motor launch india cheapst car Tata nano in One lakh rupees

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd: With a joint venture with Toyota Motor Corporation of

Japan, the Kirloskar Group of India holds 89% equity of the company. The most popular

brands of this group in India are Camry, Corolla, Prado and Innova.

Emerging India Auto market

India auto market is a promising industrial sector that is growing immensely every

passing year. Passenger cars are referred to, through use of word "automobile."

Whooping growth experienced by Indian auto market in last financial year itself, that is

financial year end in February, 2007, was very close to a 18 percent over previous fiscal.

This statistical fact is a glittering example of potential of growing auto industry in India.

As per survey conducted by Society of Indian Auto Manufacturers, total number of

automobiles manufactured by auto industry in India, throughout financial year 2006-07,

was very close to 15.5 lakh (1.5 million) margin. Huge of number of automobiles

manufactured by auto industry in India was an enormous growth upon number of autos

manufactured during previous fiscal, that ended in 2006.

Total number of cars that were exported from India were very close to 2.0 lakh (2.0

hundred thousand) margin, an encouraging sign for auto industry in India. Export of cars

manufactured in India comprised nearly 13 percent of total number of cars manufactured

domestically by auto industry in India.

India auto market looks set to prosper, largely due to growing market for automobiles

that is developing in India. In financial year that ended in February, 2004, Indian auto

markets were fastest growing in world, with registered growth rate touching nearly 20

percent.

Auto industry in India mainly comprises of small car section, which enjoys nearly a 2/3rd

market share of entire market for autos in India. In this respect, Indian markets are largest

in world for small cars, behind Japan. Indian passenger car market which ranks amongst

largest in world, is poised to become even more larger and enter top five passenger car

markets in world in next decade

TQM implementation in the Indian automobile sector

Total Quality Management (TQM) approach has played an important role in the survival

and growth of many industries. Indian automobile sector has also adopted TQM path but

it is still a player of little consequence in the global auto market. One of the major reasons

for dismal performance of the Indian automobile sector can be attributed to the fact that it

has not been able to prioritize and focus on the key variables, which are instrumental in

enhancing TQM index. For the success of the Indian automobile sector, it is equally

important to understand the implications of key variables in two different market

scenarios and take policy decisions accordingly. TQM initiatives also fail due to lack of

understanding of the complex interactions among different TQM variables. To overcome

these limitations causal loop diagram has been developed to provide better insight

regarding interactions and policy experimentations using system dynamics methodology

has been used to prioritize the key variables in two different market scenarios. These

experimentations reveal that the main contributing variables to enhance TQM index are

leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, and human resource focus in

both the market scenarios. However, the contribution of each variable and the priority of

variables change in two different market scenarios.

Company Profile

As a joint venture between Kirloskar Group and Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota Kirloskar Motor

Private Limited (TKM) aims to play a major role in the development of the automotive industry and

the creation of employment opportunities, not only through its dealer network, but also through

ancillary industries.

TKM's growth since inception can be attributed to one simple, yet important aspect of its business

philosophy - "Putting Customer First". While managing growth, TKM has maintained its

commitment to provide quality products at a reasonable price and has made every effort to meet

changes in customer needs.

TKM firmly believes that the success of this venture depends on providing high quality products and

services to all valued customers through the efforts of its team members.

TKM, along with its dedicated dealers and suppliers, has adopted the "Growing Together"

philosophy of its parent company TMC to create long-term business growth. In this way, TKM aims

to further contribute to progress in the Indian automotive industry, realize greater employment

opportunities for local citizens, improve the quality of life of the team members and promote robust

economic activity in India.

All Toyota employees are expected to embody these values in their daily work, including

environmental protection activities. To "respect" the environment, we go to the source to identify

and analyze problems, move forward to "challenge" conventional ideas and old habits, to improve

further ("kaizen") through "teamwork."

The framework provided by The Toyota Way enables our company to respond to, among other

things, the environmental challenges at various stages of the life-cycle of a vehicle. These include

greenhouse gas emissions, waste reduction, increased recycling and the banning of hazardous

substance use in parts and components. These challenges will have inevitable consequences for

Toyota's organization and employees, and we must balance them with our desire for future growth.

In 1992, the Toyota Guiding Principles were established in direct response to the international

initiatives agreed to at the Rio 'Earth Summit.' This summit focused on the potential for a clash

between trade and environmental rules, and resulted in a statement of principles about forest

management, conservation and sustainable development.

The Toyota Guiding Principles are a cornerstone of our corporate management philosophy. These

principles were updated in 1997, to ensure they continue to provide Toyota with a clear path towards

achieving sustainable development.

These principles have been explored and developed in Toyota's Global Vision 2010, adopted in

April 2002, which proposes a series of long-term policies on the theme of "Innovation into the

Future." Toyota's Global Vision 2010 guides management in its response to long-term social

changes, combining consideration for the environment, the benefit to our customers of value-added

products and the encouragement of our employees through shared prosperity and social involvement.

Based on the Guiding Principles, which codify Toyota's business spirit, the Toyota Earth Charter

(adopted in 1992 and revised in 1997) embodies a comprehensive approach to global environmental

issues. It outlines Toyota's basic policy and action guidelines towards effective environmental

management and improvements. The Toyota Earth Charter underlines a commitment to

environmental excellence, not only through broad principles, but in concrete examples of what can

be done through action guidelines. In connection with the Toyota Guiding Principles and the Toyota

Earth Charter, a European Environmental Policy was developed as a means of linking principles,

goals, targets and action.

TKM firmly believes that employees are the main source of strength for the organization. The

human resources management in Toyota seeks to create a corporate culture where values such as

"Continuous Improvement" and "Respect for People" are fully reflected in all actual corporate and

individual activities. The company takes maximum care to ensure stability of employment and

strives to improve working conditions.

To develop human resources and improve the technical skills of its employees, TKM's young team

members are regularly sent to Japan, Indonesia and Taiwan for training programs. More than 425

team members have benefited from such programs at various Toyota plants worldwide. TKM also

believes in continuously improving its products and practices. Every team member is encouraged to

give suggestions to improve the product, efficiency of processes or working conditions. They are

also appropriately rewarded for the same. Thus TKM seeks to progress by empowering its

employees.

Recognition

At TKM, we look to continuously improve not only our products but also our processes and service.

Our obsession with perfection has been recognized by various institutions such as JD Power and

TNS Automotive, as well as automotive publications like Overdrive, as the reason for the success of

Toyota products in India and across the globe.

Local Community Development

At TKM, every effort is made to contribute to society. A residential school at Bidadi, reconstructed

by Toyota, now houses 75 students, mainly belonging to backward communities. In the aftermath of

the tragic earthquake in Gujarat, TKM and its dealers played a major role in distributing food,

clothing and relief in remote affected area. TKM also takes a lead role in contributing to the

community, distributing books and bags in local school etc.

Our Vision

The vision of Toyota Kirloskar Motor is to:

1. Delight our customers through innovative products, by utilising advanced

technologies and services.

2. Ensure growth to become a major player in the Indian auto industry and contribute

to the Indian economy by involving all stakeholders.

3. Become the most admired and respected company in India by following the

Toyota Way.

4. Be a core company in global Toyota operations.

Our Mission

1. Practice ethics and transparency in all our business operations.

2. Touch the heart of our customers by providing products and services of

superior quality at a competitive price.

3. Cultivate a lean and flexible business model throughout the value chain by

continuous improvement.

4. Lead the Toyota global operations for the emerging mass market.

5. Create a challenging workplace which promotes sense of pride, ownership,

mutual trust and teamwork.

6. Create an eco-friendly company in harmony with nature and society.

Toyota Legacy

 

Toyota Production System

Toyota realized that they could not follow the same manufacturing technique as American manufacturing because of their relatively low space, resources, and demand. At the time the American auto manufacturers used the traditional way such as to make a batch of certain products. To do this they ordered enough parts to complete the batch, so they have to stock or store the materials. So Ohno came up with a system that would better fit Japan's capabilities. The whole system is based on the elimination of waste principle. Time, resources, and materials were all areas where waste could be found according to Ohno. The following are more specific areas that could be corrected to improve efficiency:• "overproduction - waste from producing more than is needed• time spent waiting - waste such as that associated with a worker being idle whilst waiting for another worker to pass him an item he needs (e.g. such as may occur in a sequential line production process)• transportation/movement - waste such as that associated with transporting/moving items around a factory• processing time - waste such as that associated with spending more time than is necessary processing an item on a machine• inventory - waste associated with keeping stocks• defects - waste associated with defective items" Ohno discovered two ways to reduce waste, just-in-time and autonomation. The theory of just-in-time is the basic principle for the majority of his manufacturing system. Stock is seen as unnecessary and a waste using this method. Materials and resources are provided only when they are ready to be used in the production system. Autonomation is technique that regulates the amount of human interaction concerning inspections of parts or products. The goal is to limit the human involvement and make the system as automated as possible. A device will be implemented into the system to detect defects, and only when that device detects a defect is there a human inspection. However, when a defect is detected the system stops and will not start again until the problem is recognized and fixed.Toyota used the kanban to control the flow of inputs and output in the production system. Kanban is a Japanese word that basically means sign. This was a "rectangular piece of paper within a transparent vinyl envelope," that gave instructions on what needed to be done. It gave instructions such as things that needed to be withdrawn from the system, items that needed to be produced, and amounts of materials need and when. There are two main types of kanban, the production kanban and the conveyance kanban. The production kanban lets the workers know that more of a certain part needs to be produced. The conveyance kanban lets them know that parts need to be transported to another center. This type can also be called a move or withdrawal kanban. The kanban is classified as a pull system in production, which means that when parts are need they are pulled and sent to the location in need. The starting point for a pull system is the customers and then it works it way backwards all the way to the original resources. This differs from a push system in that a push system has a set schedule and all the parts are moved when the schedule is complete. However the kanban did not allow or take into account defects. So it an item was found to have a defect the end production quantity would not be achieved. There are three key rules when using the kanban. First, no part can be manufactured with authorization from the kanban. Second, each container has a production and conveyance kanban. Third, all containers used are standard. The number and type of containers

used is determined by the management. In America this is generally referred to as kitting and has basically the same concepts, limitations, and rule. Limiting setup time is also a key factor in the Toyota Production System. Since setup time is also down time which means the production line has stopped and employees are getting paid for waiting. To decrease setup time the machines were reengineered so that optimal setup time could be achieved thus saving money. American Automotive Industries

A design Project

Toyota Awards

Business Standard Motoring : Import Car Of The Year Award - Camry 2007

BBC-Top Gear: Car Design Of The Year - Camry 2007

CNBC-TV18 Autocar: Best Design and Styling- Camry 2007

BBC-Top Gear : Best Design Of The Year - Camry 2006

Business Standard Motoring: MPV Of The Year - Innova 2006

NDTV - Car Awards: Best MPV Of The Year – Toyota Innova 2006

Overdrive: UV Of The Year For Innova 2006

Auto Monitor -CSR Initiative Of The Year 2006

CNBC Autocar Awards: Technologically Advanced Car - Land Cruiser Prado 2005

Business Standard Motoring : Best Executive Car 2004 & 2005 (Corolla) Best MUV 2005 (Innova)

TNS Award – Total Customer Satisfaction Study: Best Executive Car 2004 & 2005 (Corolla) Best MUV 2005 (Innova)

Business Standard Motoring: Best Executive Car 2004 & 2005 (Corolla) Best MUV 2005 (Innova)

TNS Award – Total Customer Satisfaction Study : Qualis, Corolla & Camry 2004

Business Standard Motoring: Best Import Car Of The Year – Land Cruiser Prado 2004

JD Power Asia Pacific: IQS Study – Corolla 2004

JD Power APEAL: Corolla 2004

JD Power Initial Quality Survey: Qualis 2003

Business Standard Motoring : Best Import Car Of The Year – Camry 2003

NFO Automotive: Highest Resale Value Car – Qualis 2003

Sales report of Toyota Kriloskar India ltd

Questionnaire

Q1) When was Total quality management implemented in your company?

As you know that we were the first one to implement this system in our company

in Japan, so we brought this method to India while launching ourselves in India. As you

have studied that TQM is a continuous process of improving the quality and customer

satisfaction. Looking at the Indian scenario TQM helps an organization to create a

continuous improvement in quality ant its performance.

Q2) What are the certificates that are there to judge the quality? Which of them

have the organization received?

Technical Specification (TS) 16949 outlines the specific requirements for the

application of ISO 9001:2000 to automotive production and relevant service part

organizations. It contains recommended automotive industry practices and examples. ISO

9001:2000 specifies requirements for a quality management system that can be used for

internal application by organizations, or for certification, or for contractual purposes.

Both standards use the "process" approach, referring to the application of a system of

processes (numerous linked activities) that allows the transformation of inputs into

outputs, such as in the manufacture of cars and related parts.

We have achieved ISO 9001:2000 as well as QS 9000 that is the quality assurance

certificate.

Q3) How do you compete with your competitors?

As being a reputed company in the market, so we don’t face any competition with

respect to our quality and customer service. As in itself the brand name reveals about the

quality and standard of the product that the company is selling to the customer.

Q4) What according to you the changes you want in the organization structure?

A closer look at the mean of quality management practices that have scored

throughout the principles will help to reveal the current level of involvement in TQM. By

analyzing the results, it is expected to give a rough idea on the area lacking in

implementation and the potential weaknesses among the needed to be acted upon success

factors is presented. In doing so, it will be able to identify common setback that the

company faces in adopting TQM.

Q5) What measures do you take for continuous improvement and can you explain?

For continuous improvement of the quality we use kaizen and kanban in our

organization as well as JIT in our manufacturing unit.

Kaizen mean’s gradual and orderly continuous improvement. The Kaizen Business

strategy involves everyone in an organization working together to make improvements

without large capital investments.

JIT is a concept based on the fact that the activity should not take place until is a need for it.

Hence the inventory item should not be brought into the system until it is required for making

the final product. It is characterized by maintaining zero inventories of raw materials and

assemblies to the assembly plant. For this, the JIT system involves close coordination between

the buyers and the suppliers.

06) How the quality assurance system consistent from development through production?

At our company, we aim to "provide appealing products and become a global

system supplier that will truly impress our customers." With regard to quality assurance,

we operate under the consistent quality assurance system from development to

production under our quality policy. Specifically, all our plants have obtained ISO9001

and ISO/TS16949 certification which is the international standard of quality management

system. Also each plant has its own quality control goals to produce appealing products

through TQM*2 activities.

Q7) Expanding all manufacturing operation to office how does employees aims in production process quality control

All employees at our company act based on the principle of "Customer Comes

First" and we aim to perfect quality assured production processes for all our operations.

Production process quality control means that "quality is built in during the production

process", and is the idea on which all our work is based. Working from the idea of "No

defects shall be tolerated in any production process to ensure that there will be no defects

in post-production (i.e., in the product given to customers)" in manufacturing, we have as

our goal a robust design to prevent against environmental changes and manufacturing

scattering, are promoting the expansion of quality engineering throughout our entire

company, and are of course aiming for a zero defect production process for our mass

produced goods as well as a defect-free production process from the very first day of

production for a new product. Furthermore, we are expanding production process quality

control ideas and know-how that have taken root at the assembly line (Manufacturing

Division) expanding to the work of the back offices (Administrative and Technical

Divisions) and are tackling operations reform throughout the entire company so that they

all can make judgments on site about work quality.

Q8) How sales activities responsive to customer needs

The role of the Sales Division stands at the front lines of our company. They

listen to needs and development information from key members in technology and

improvement, and connects those needs with sales promotion. While cultivating an

amicable relationship with customers, we have collected and analyzed diverse

information such as necessary matters and problems essential to customers. While

sharing that content with relevant internal departments, we respond to the diverse needs

from customers and make unique proposals to build a relationship of trust with those

customers.

A quality vehicle inspection form

Research Design

Companies actually compete on three major issues; Quality, Price and Delivery. If

the choice is to compete in the market place on the basis of product or service price, then

the level of competition is clearly defined; the low-cost provider wins. However,

companies choosing the low cost approach may find themselves losing premium business

to competitors while retaining the low-margin business in the long term. In fact, they are

also vulnerable to any competitor who can offer value at a lower price.This is why many

companies have become aware of the need to make quality is the competitive marketing

strategy in a global market. Large companies for instance, have started to implement total

quality initiative in their products and services. The increasing acceptance of Total

Quality Management (TQM) as a philosophy of management and a way of company life

has taken place for almost three decades.

Many companies understand that TQM is necessary for them to remain

competitive, retaining their market share and to be able to respond to changing

competitive demand in today business world. Based on some studies , not all companies

are able to implement TQM successfully. This is because it requires a different

implementation approach to cater for the varying needs of the industries in order for

effective implementation. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), for example,

have been slow in adopting TQM when compared to large companies. Their involvement

has focused primarily on ISO 9000 certification, and very few had advanced beyond that.

         

  Axles India LimitedAxles India is promoted by Wheels India and Sundaram Finance, with technical support and equity participation from Dana Corporation, USA. Incorporated in 1982, the company provides axles for the entire range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles, including Pressed Axle Housings, Drive Axle Housings, Trailer Axle Beams, Hub Reduction Axle Housings and Drive Heads. The company has a manufacturing capacity of 180,000 Pressed Axle Housings annually.www.axlesindia.com                

Brakes India LimitedBrakes India was founded in 1962 as a joint venture between TV Sundram Iyengar & Sons and Lucas Industries, UK. The company manufactures braking equipment for automotive and non-automotive applications. Besides exporting products to 35 countries worldwide, Brakes India caters to over 60% of the domestic OEM market. Some of its manufacturing sites have been assessed at ISO 14001, ISO 9002, TS 16949 and QS 9000. The foundry division has received the prestigious Deming prize and award for TPM excellence. Sales turnover for the year 2004-05 was Rs 9,720 million (US$ 221 million).

www.brakesindia.com                 Delphi-TVS Diesel Systems Limited

Delphi-TVS is a joint venture between Delphi Corporation, USA and T.V. Sundaram Iyengar & Sons, India. The company manufactures Diesel Fuel Injection Equipment for Cars, Sports Utility and Multi Utility Vehicles, Light Commercial Vehicles, Tractors, Single & Two Cylinder engines. Delphi-TVS believe that its success is based on the solid foundation of customer satisfaction, continuous innovation and total employee involvement. The company has a track record of sustained growth since it was set up. Delphi-TVS have obtained ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14000 certifications. The company has now won the JIPM TPM Excellence Award (first category). To meet increasingly stringent emission norms, Delphi-TVS has upgraded its technology and introduced new products. Mechanical Rotary Technology has been upgraded to Electronic Rotary Technology and Delphi-TVS and has now introduced the state-of-the art-Common Rail Technology with full authority electronic controls.

www.delphitvs.com                 Harita TVS Technologies LimitedFormed in 2001, Harita TVS provides Engineering Design Services to customers across US, Europe and India. With core competencies in Automotive, Industrial Machinery and Energy & Networking, it has become a preferred partner to many OEM and Tier-1 customers. The company offers end-to-end solutions for next generation products with its Mechanical Design Services (MDS) & Electronic Design Services (EDS). With a service portfolio covering the entire spectrum of a typical NPI (New Product Development) process, backed by strong engineering background of the TVS Group, Harita TVS has helped its customers reach their strategic business goals by reducing time-to-market and cutting costs. It provides project based solutions or full-product solutions based on customer requirements. It has developed domain competency in Plastic, Sheet-metal and Casting technologies and has been able to apply its product design knowledge to provide value added services to customers across different verticals.

Harita TVS is ISO 9001:2000 certified and has implemented ISO 27001. An excellent Customer Engagement Model & Delivery System driven by Six-Sigma processes has helped Harita TVS maintain an impeccable track record of excellent and on-time delivery. A highly competent & creative talent, managed by PCMM, helps keep pace with the growing needs of customers across different geographies in varied markets.

Apart from the state-of-the-art Engineering Center at Bangalore (India), Harita TVS also has presence in Michigan (USA), Frankfurt (Germany), Chennai (India). www.haritatvs.com                

India Japan Lighting Private LimitedIndia Japan Lighting Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated in December 1996. It is a 50:50 joint venture between Lucas-TVS Limited, Chennai, and Koito Manufacturing Company Limited, Japan. The company manufactures headlamps, rear combination lamps and various other signal lamps for automotive applications. The headlamps and rear combination lamps are aerodynamically styled and represent the state-of-the-art technology. The Company has introduced state-of-the-art clear plastic lens, multi-focal reflector headlamps with auto leveling mechanism and clear lens rear combination lamps. All products of IJL are designed to meet international levels of quality. IJL has all the infrastructure & facilities required for in-house lamp design & manufacturing. The company has a capacity of manufacturing over 2.0 millionlamps per annum. IJL is a ISO/TS – 16949 & ISO - 14001 company. IJL sales turnover for the year 2005–06 was Rs. 1000 Million. (USD 23 Million).                

India Motor Parts and Accessories LimitedIndia Motor Parts and Accessories Limited (IMPAL) was incorporated in 1954 to distribute automobile spare parts, accessories and garage equipment manufactured by General Motors, USA. Today, the company has a multi-business portfolio that includes the distribution of indigenously manufactured components. It markets automobile components manufactured by the TVS Group, as well as other leading automobile ancillary manufacturers. IMPAL’s turnover in 2004-05 was Rs 2,130 million (US$ 48

million).                 India Nippon Electricals LimitedIndia Nippon Electricals limited was established in 1985 as a JV between Lucas Indian Service and Kokusan Denki Co. Limited, Japan. The company manufactures Electronic Ignition systems for two wheelers, three Wheelers and portable Gensets. Products for the future are designed and developed at its well equipped R&D Centre. The company has been accredited with ISO 14001 and is in the process of being assessed for TS16949 . Sales turnover for the year 2004-05 was Rs 1507 million.

www.indianippon.com           Top     Irizar TVS LimitedIrizar TVS Limited is a joint venture between three equal partners, T V Sundram Iyengar

& Sons Limited, Ashok Leyland Limited and Irizar S.Coop. of Spain. Incorporated in 2001, this company builds bus bodies for domestic and overseas customers and fabricates bus body kits. With technology from Irizar S.Coop., Spain, Irizar TVS has launched the Intercentury bus in the super luxury segment. The body design, features and quality all meet exacting European standards. Sales turnover for 2004-05 was Rs.210 million (US$

4.8 million).                 Lucas Indian Service LimitedLucas Indian Service Limited (LIS) was established in 1930 and is a sales and service company for auto electrical and fuel injection equipment. LIS is a fully owned subsidiary of Lucas-TVS Limited and markets auto components for the replacement market. Its preventive service product, “Lucas Care”, is designed to deliver a problem-free driving experience. LIS has a country-wide network of 2000 authorised sales and service dealers. Its manufacturing facility at Chennai makes ignition coils and switches. Turnover for

2004-05 was Rs 1,350 million (US$ 31 million).                 Lucas-TVS LimitedLucas-TVS was established in 1961 as a joint venture between Lucas, UK and T V Sundram Iyengar & Sons, to manufacture automotive electrical systems. Today, the company is a leader in the auto electrical field – 3 out of 4 vehicles in India are fitted with Lucas-TVS products. The company addresses segments across the auto industry, like passenger cars, jeeps, utility vehicles, light commercial vehicles, medium and heavy commercial vehicles, off-highway vehicles, industrial engines, earth movers, tractors and two / three wheelers. It also provides solutions for stationary and marine applications. Lucas-TVS is a TS 16949 and ISO 14001 certified company and has bagged the Deming application prize (2004) from the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). Turnover in 2004-05 was Rs 6,300 million (US$145 million).

www.lucas-tvs.com                 Southern Roadways LimitedSouthern Roadways was founded in 1946 as a road transport and parcel service company. Today, it runs a parcel service with a fleet of more than 300 trucks and covers 60,000 kms a day through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry.      

Sundaram Brake Linings LimitedEstablished in 1974, Sundaram Brake Linings (SBL) is a pioneer in the manufacture of asbestos-free friction material in India. Distinguished by its focus on cutting-edge technology, the company has a strong presence in the Indian OEM and aftermarket and exports to over 60 countries. SBL is a ISO / TS 16949 and ISO 14001 certified company. It is the first friction material manufacturer in the world to win the coveted Deming Application Prize for Total Quality Management. SBL is successfully positioned to meet the growing need for friction materials for the automotive industry. Sales turnover for 2004-05 was Rs 1,408 million (US$ 32 million).

www.tvsbrakelinings.com           Top     Sundaram-Clayton LimitedSundaram-Clayton Limited (SCL) is a pioneering manufacturer of air brake systems. The market leader in this space, the company exports quality spare parts to over 15 countries. The SCL-Brakes division is the first Indian company to manufacture the next generation Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Anti-Spin Regulation (ASR), both of which have been developed with in-house design technology. It is also the first company in India and the fourth company outside Japan, to win the prestigious Deming Award. The company’s Die-casting division has evolved from being a captive supplier to a full-service supplier of aluminium components to Indian and multinational companies. Both divisions – Brakes and Die-casting – have QS 9000 and ISO 14001 certifications. SCL’s turnover for

2004-05 was Rs.5,360 million (US$ 122 million).

www.sundaram-clayton.com                 Sundram Fasteners LimitedIncorporated in1966, Sundram Fasteners Limited (SFL) is the largest manufacturer and exporter of high tensile fasteners in India. SFL’s product range includes high tensile fasteners, powder metal parts, cold extruded parts, iron powder, radiator caps, gear shifters and automotive pumps / assemblies. Principal supplier of radiator caps to General Motors, USA, SFL has won the prestigious “Supplier of the Year” award from GM for five consecutive years. The automotive pumps and assemblies division is the principal supplier of rocker-level assemblies to Cummins, USA for ISX and ISM platforms. With facilities in Chennai, Madurai, Pondicherry, Hosur, Hyderabad and China, SFL was the first Indian company to get ISO 9000 certification. Today, all its divisions are ISO / TS 16949 and ISO 14001 certified. Turnover for 2004-05 was Rs 10,370 million (US$ 235 million).www.sundram.com                   Incorporated in 1943, Sundaram Industries Limited (SIL) is a leading manufacturer of rubber products for automotive and industrial applications. It has also consolidated its edge in the field of tyre retreading.      

Rubber divisionTVS Rubber, the rubber division of SIL, manufactures moulded rubber products for vehicle manufacturers, system manufacturers and other industries, including defence,

electrical, electronic, mining, thermal and white goods. TVS Rubber also serves the OEM and aftermarket in USA, Europe and other countries, on a JIT basis. It has a technical tie up with Bridgestone, Japan for the manufacture of Anti Vibration Mountings. It has achieved ISO / TS 16949: 2002 certification and received the TPM Excellence Award from JIPM, Japan in 2004.

www.tvsrubber.com                 Tyre solution divisionSince its foray into retreading in 1943, SIL has been the market leader with a complete spectrum of tyre care solutions. It has acquired unique technology to recycle rubber waste from Levgum, Israel. The company has won awards for the best retreads from the

International Tire And Rubber Association, USA.           Top     Sundaram Textiles LimitedSundaram Textiles was formed in 1960 to manufacture 100% cotton and synthetic yarn. It has two units: one in Tirunelveli District and another in Madurai. These units have 47000 spindles and 720 rotors. Currently, the company exports more than 50% of its production to countries in Europe, Middle East, Far East and South Asia.

www.sundaramtextiles.com                 Turbo Energy LimitedIncorporated in 1982, Turbo Energy Limited (TEL) is a technical and financial joint venture between KKK Germany, (presently BorgWarner Turbo Systems–BWTS), Brakes India Limited and Sundaram Finance Limited. TEL manufactures turbochargers for internal combustion engines. Its state-of-the art manufacturing facility has the capacity to manufacture, test and assemble 350,000 turbochargers per annum. TEL is a QS 9000 certified company and is under certification for TS 16949 : 2002. The company’s exclusive R&D centre at Chennai has been recognised by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India since 1985.

www.turboenergy.co.in                 TVS Automotive Europe LimitedTVS Automotive Europe Limited is a joint venture between TV Sundram Iyengar & Sons Limited and John Bruce UK Limited. The company is a single source for high quality automobile / engineering products for its OE / Tier 1 and 2 customers in UK and Europe.

Products are sourced from QS / ISO certified suppliers located in India, China, Taiwan and Thailand. TVS Automotive Europe caters to the complete BusinessProcess Outsourcing (BPO) needs of its customers by providing services like supplier identification, supplier audit, quality documentation and tailor-made logistics solutions. A true end-to-end solutions provider, it has a marketing office in UK and ISO 9001:2000 certified sourcing and back offices in India. Apart from offering components across categories, the company also provides value added services, logistics support and warehouse facilities to its customers.                

TVS Auto Parts Private LimitedTVS Auto Parts is a 65:35 joint venture between TVS Lanka and Worldwide Trade Agencies of Sri Lanka. The company distributes spare parts across the island nation and is also an indentor of parts for Indian made vehicles operating in Sri Lanka.                

ZF Electronics TVS (India) Private LimitedZF Electronics TVS (India) Private Limited (Formerly TVS Cherry Private Limited) is a joint venture between TVS Group, India and ZF Electronics Corporation, USA (a group company of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Germany) to manufacture precision snap action switches, sensors and electromechanical assemblies in India. ZF Electronics TVS manufacturing facility located at Madurai is ISO 9001:2000 / ISO/TS 16949:2002 certified and is a UL approved site. ZF Electronics TVS manufactures Precision Snap

Action / Rocker Switches, Sensors and Reed Relays to cater to automotive, consumer and Industrial markets. ZF Electronics TVS also markets advance performance keyboards and key modules manufactured by ZF Electronics GmbH, Germany. ZF Electronics TVS offers its customers quality products and renders application design support. Switches manufactured by ZF Electronics TVS are used in various applications of following segments Consumer durables Automotive Computer products Industrial equipments Telecom equipmentswww.zftvs.com           Top    

TVS CJ Components LimitedTVS CJ Components sources high quality automobile / engineering products from TS / QS / ISO certified suppliers located in India, Turkey and Italy for OE / Tier 1 and 2 customers in UK. It has a marketing office in UK and ISO 9001:2000 certified sourcing and back office operations in India. Customers include leading companies like CNH,

Cummins, Perkins and Delphi.                 TVS Electronics LimitedTVS Electronics Limited (TVS-E) is a leading player in the information and communication technology market. Its mission is “Taking IT to the Heart of India”. TVS-E is organized into two business groups:

Transaction automation products and solutions

TVS-E leads the Indian dot matrix printer and mechanical keyboard markets, (40% and 52% share respectively). This group also provides multi-platform solutions for front-end transaction processing to industries like retail, telecom, e- Governance and financial services.

Electronic manufacturing servicesThis group offers a wide spectrum of services to global customers, including product engineering and development, sourcing, contract manufacturing and customer support. With over 15 years of experience and a 350 strong supplier network, this division is focused on best practices in Total Quality Management, Business Planning and Human Resources Management. Turnover for 2004-05 was Rs 3,141 million (US$ 71.4 million).

www.tvs-e.in                 TVS Interconnect Systems LimitedTVS Interconnect Systems Limited commenced operations in 2000 and offers optimised solutions to the telecommunications and enterprise networking industries. Supported by a manufacturing base at Madurai, the company has four broad divisions: wireless solutions, carrier solutions, enterprise solutions and project management services. TVS Interconnect combines best-in-class solutions and products from a wide variety of globally acclaimed partners. It is widely recognized as a reliable partner for the delivery and implementation of future-proof solutions in the digital infrastructure space.www.tvsics.com           Top    

TVS Lanka Private Limited TVS Lanka Private Limited is a 50:50 joint venture between TVS & Sons and United Motors Lanka Limited. Based in Colombo, TVS Lanka is the authorised distributor and dealer for the TVS range of two wheelers and has grown to become the second highest seller of two wheelers in Sri Lanka. It is supported by a network of approximately 500

dealers for sales, service and parts.                 TVS Logistics Iberia S.L.TVS Logistics Iberia (TVS LI) is a 51:49 joint venture between TVS Automotive Europe and Transcoma Group of Spain. The company sources high quality automobile / engineering products from TS / QS / ISO certified suppliers in India, China, Taiwan and Thailand for OE / Tier 1 and 2 customers in Spain. With a marketing office in Barcelona, it provides complete BPO solutions through services like supplieridentification, audit, sample and PPAP inspection, quality documentation, tailor-made logistics solutions, engineering support and vendor management.

www.tvsiberia.com                 TVS Logistics Services Limited

TVS Logistics Services Limited provides comprehensive logistics solutions to the automotive industry. These include inbound logistics, outbound logistics, warehousing and value added services like line feeding, high sub-assemblies and SCM consultation. The company’s expanding customer base includes OEMs and Tier 1 and 2 companies like Ashok Leyland, Atlas Capco, Bharat Forge, Brakes India, Delphi, Ford, General Motors, JCB, John Deere, L&T, Lucas-TVS, Mahindra & Mahindra, Pricol, Roots, Royal Enfield, Sundaram Clayton, Sundram Fasteners, Sundaram Industries, Tata Motors, TVS Motor, Visteon and Wheels India.www.tvslogisticsservices.com                

TVS Logistics SIAM LimitedTVS Logistics Siam Limited is a joint venture between Thai Martin Trading Company Limited, Thailand, Tyvin International Company Limited, Thailand and TVS. TVS brings to the table its rich domain expertise in supply chain management and will extend and apply this to the Thai auto industry. The company’s customer base includes Aapico Amata, Aapico Hitech, Chardchai Industrial and Anglo Asia.                

TVS Motor Company LimitedTVS Motor Company Limited is one of the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in India and amongst the top ten in the world. From being the first to introduce a two-seater moped in India (TVS 50 in 1980), to being the first two-wheeler company in the world to receive the coveted Deming Prize for Total Quality Management, TVS Motor has

consistently set benchmarks for the industry.

The company’s leadership edge is continually consolidated through pioneering R&D and innovative engineering practices. The company is ISO 9000, QS 9000 and TS 16949 certified and has also received the TPM Excellence award. TVS Motor serves its 10 million strong and growing customer base through a vast network of over 500 dealers and 2500 customer touch points. It has sold over a million two wheelers. The company has, for the last 4 years, continuously bagged the Export Excellence Award.Turnover in 2004-05 was Rs 29,550 million (US$ 672 million).

www.tvsmotor.co.in           Top     TVS Sewing Needles LimitedTVS Sewing Needles Limited was established in 1962 as a joint venture with The Singer Company, USA. The company’s initial product range comprised just two types of needles manufactured with milled groove technology. Today, it has a licensed production capacity of 100 million needles of 45 different types (household and industrial grade), which are manufactured with die-press eye rounding technology.It is also a major exporter to UK and Japan.

www.tvsneedle.co.in                 TVS Srichakra LimitedTVS Srichakra Limited is the largest auto ancillary group in India. The company is a leading manufacturer of automotive tyres and India’s premier two-wheeler tyre manufacturer (7million tyres annually). It serves its loyal customer base through a 2050 strong dealer base and 20 warehouses in India. The company also exports to USA, Europe, Africa, South America and South East Asia. ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, TVS Srichakra has a robust R&D, testing and manufacturing infrastructure. Its portfolio includes industrial pneumatic tyres, farm and implement tyres, skid steer tyres, multipurpose tyres and vintage tyres. The company has won the TPM Excellence award and has adopted Six-Sigma and Lean Manufacturing techniques. Turnover in 2004-05 was Rs 2,027 million (US$ 46 million).

www.tvstyres.com                 TV Sundram Iyengar & Sons LimitedT V Sundram Iyengar & Sons Limited, established in 1911, is the parent company of the TVS Group and a leading Indian automobile distribution company. It operates through three divisions – TVS, Sundaram Motors and Madras Auto Service.

The company distributes commercial vehicles, utility / sports utility vehicles and

passenger cars. It represents leading automotive companies like Ashok Leyland, Daimler Chrysler, General Motors, Honda and Mahindra & Mahindra. The company has more than 100 outlets that sell over 30,000 vehicles and service more than 300,000 vehicles annually. TVS & Sons is also the largest distributor of automobilespare parts in the country, handling more than 80 suppliers and 35,000 part numbers.

TVS & Sons handles sales and service of garage equipment and markets products for special applications like construction and material handling equipment, man-lifts and air-compressors. Its unique “own & operate” scheme provides forklift trucks with trained operators for material handling.

Under the brand name “MyTVS”, the company provides customer-centric car services across the carownership lifecycle. MyTVS handles buying and selling of pre-owned cars and offers services that include regular maintenance, 24x7 emergency services and collision repair services.

www.tvsiyengar.com                 Wheels India LimitedWheels India Limited was established in the early 60s, as a joint venture between TVS and Dunlop UK. It is a leading manufacturer of automotive wheels and supplies to all major vehicle manufacturers in the country. The company has a collaboration with Titan, the world leader in off-highway vehicle wheels. It produces wheels for all vehicle categories including passenger cars, utility vehicles, trucks, buses, agricultural tractors and construction equipment. More than 15% of its production is exported to North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and South Africa. Cutting-edge product development and process design allows the company to address high-volume markets, niche segments and customer-specific requirements. The company has manufacturing facilities at Padi, Pune and Rampur with a combined annual capacity of seven million wheels. With a workforce of 1585 people, turnover for 2004-05 wasRs 7,790 million (US$ 177 million).www.wheelsindia.com          

          unwavering commitment to quality.

Most group companies have adopted Total Quality Management as away of life. Robust processes and stringent controls underlie every activity,delivering tangible benefits to all stakeholders from customer to employee.While each company in the group has achieved significant milestones onits quality path, five companies have won the coveted Deming Awardinstituted by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers.

          Regardless of the field they work in, TVS companies are known for theirunwavering commitment to quality.

Most group companies have adopted Total Quality Management as away of life. Robust processes and stringent controls underlie every activity,delivering tangible benefits to all stakeholders from customer to employee.While each company in the group has achieved significant milestones onits quality path, five companies have won the coveted Deming Awardinstituted by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers.

          The Toyotas Group’s reputation for honest and reliable business conduct is oneof its greatest assets. Built by many people over many years, the group hasa strong legacy of accountability, integrity and transparency. Its commitmentto competitive excellence is combined with total, uncompromising integrity.

Responsibility towards society and the environment has always been a strongforce at the TVS Group. This is manifested in the form of diverse communitypartnerships. From schools and hospitals to initiatives for drinking water andelectrification, companies contribute actively to the development of thesociety in which their people live and work.

          The people that make up the TVS Group work in an environment ofshared ideas, efforts and responsibilities. The group’s history, marked bylong-standing relationships, is testimony to the fact that people havefound careers with it and not just jobs. Recognized for its excellent humanresource practices, the group addresses each individual’s need to growprofessionally and personally. Strong emphasis on employee welfare andsystems for continuous training have allowed different businesses to attract,retain and develop outstanding talent.

Conclusion

In todays globalize economy, competition is becoming ever more intense. Many

companies are trying very hard not only to satisfy their customer’s needs but where

possible exceed them. This can only be achieved through cost reduction, improvement in

product performance, increased customer satisfaction and a constant effort towards world

class organizations. In order for companies to survive and grow in the future, it is

essential that they deliver high quality goods and services. Those that can deliver quality

are the ones that will prosper in the next century

Annexture

Technology moves on - what about ISO standards?

ISO standards represent, by an international consensus among experts in the technology concerned, the state of the art. To ensure that ISO standards retain this lead, they are reviewed at least every five years after their publication. The technical experts then decide whether the standard is still valid, or whether it should be withdrawn or updated. In some fields, the pace of development is such that when an ISO standard is published, the experts who developed it are already thinking about the next version!

Does ISO have standards for everything?

Not quite! Scroll through the list of our technical committees on this site to get an idea of the huge range of technologies, industries and business sectors for which ISO develops standards.

ISO's work programme ranges from standards for traditional activities, such as agriculture and construction, through mechanical engineering to the newest information and communications technology (ICT) developments, such as the digital coding of audio-visual signals for multimedia applications. We collaborate on ICT with our partners, IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and ITU (International Telecommunication Union), which are specialized in the domains indicated by their names.

What are ISO's `new deliverables'?

ISO standards are developed according to strict rules to ensure that they are transparent and fair. The reverse side of the coin is that it can take time to develop consensus among the interested parties, and for the resulting agreement to go through the public review process in the ISO member countries. For some users of standards, particularly those working in fast-changing technology sectors, it may be more important to agree and publish a technical specification quickly, before going through the various checks and balances needed to win the status of a full International Standard. Therefore, to meet such needs, ISO has developed a new range of "deliverables", or different categories of specifications, allowing publication at an intermediate stage of development before full consensus.

What other products does ISO offer?

In addition to International Standards and the "new deliverables" (see previous question), ISO develops guideline documents, manuals for developing countries, standards compendia and handbooks and a whole range of standards-related publications. Listings of these can be found in the ISO Catalogue. We also publish two magazines: the monthly ISO Focus+ which presents an overview of ISO's activities, and the bimonthly ISO Management Systems.

How does ISO decide what standards to develop?

Working through the ISO community, it is the people who need the standards that decide. What happens is that the need for a standard is felt by an industry or business sector, which communicates the requirement to one of ISO's national members. The latter then proposes the new work item to ISO as a whole. If accepted, the work item is assigned to an existing technical committee. Proposals may also be made to set up technical committees to cover new scopes of technological activity. In order to use resources most efficiently, ISO only launches the development of new standards for which there is clearly a market requirement.

Who actually develops ISO standards?

ISO standards are developed by technical committees comprising experts on loan from the industrial, technical and business sectors which have asked for the standards, and which subsequently put them to use. These experts may be joined by others with relevant knowledge, such as representatives of government agencies, testing laboratories, consumer associations, environmentalists, and so on. It is estimated that, every year, some 30 000 such experts participate in the development of ISO standards. The experts participate as national delegations, chosen by the ISO member for the country concerned to represent not just the views of the organizations in which the experts work, but a full national consensus on the issues involved.

How are ISO standards developed?

The national delegations of experts of a technical committee meet to discuss, debate and argue until they reach consensus on a draft agreement. This is then circulated to ISO's membership as a whole for comment and balloting. Many members have public review procedures for making draft standards known and available to interested parties and to the general public. The ISO members then take account of any feedback they receive in formulating their position on the draft standard. Finally, if the voting is in favour, the document is published as an International Standard. Every working day of the year, some 15 ISO meetings are taking place somewhere in the world. In between meetings, the experts continue the standards' development work by correspondence. Increasingly, their contacts are made by electronic means and some ISO technical bodies have already gone over entirely to electronic working, which speeds up the development of standards and reduces travel costs.

What should I do if I want to take part in the development of a standard?

The business sectors most interested in implementing the eventual standards are the ones who provide experts to develop the standards. Your own interest may be such that you would like to provide input, or even participate in the work. In fact, there are channels and opportunities for you to have a say in the development of future ISO standards through the ISO members for your country.

Who chooses the experts that participate in the standards' developing committees?

The national delegations that make up ISO technical committees are chosen by the national standards institute of that country, which is an ISO members. According to ISO rules, the standards institute is expected to take account of the views of the range of parties interested in the standard under development and to present a consolidated, national consensus position to the technical committee's work.

Why aren't ISO standards free?

ISO standards cost money to develop, publish and distribute. Someone has to pay. The current system whereby users are requested to pay for the standards they use, not only sustains the development process but also, very importantly, ensures that the balance of independent vs. government, private vs. public interests can be maintained.

Are ISO standards mandatory?

ISO standards are voluntary. ISO is a non-governmental organization and it has no power to enforce the implementation of the standards it develops. A number of ISO standards - mainly those concerned with health, safety or the environment - have been adopted in some countries as part of their regulatory framework, or are referred to in legislation for which they serve as the technical basis. However, such adoptions are sovereign decisions by the regulatory authorities or governments of the countries concerned. ISO itself does not regulate or legislate. Although voluntary, ISO standards may become a market requirement, as has happened in the case of ISO 9000 quality management systems, or ISO freight container dimensions.

What is ISO 9000?

ISO 9000 is a generic name given to a family of standards developed to provide a framework around which a quality management system can effectively be implemented.

ISO 9001:2000, the requirement standard, includes the following main sections:

1. Quality Management System 2. Management Responsibility 3. Resource Management 4. Product Realization 5. Measurement Analysis and Improvement

What does it mean to me?

To gain the maximum benefit from ISO 9000:2000 there are a number of steps to take:

1. Define why your organization is in business.

2. Determine the key processes that state 'what' you do. 3. Establish how these processes work within your business. 4. Determine who owns these processes.5. Agree these processes throughout the organization.