Operational Management 302 - Essay Example

ISO 9000 The modern world has been characterized by regulations that are geared towards protecting the consumers. The need to develop standards that are to be met by producers of both goods and services, the International Standards Organization (ISO) was established. The organization sets the minimum standard upon which a product or service can be termed as standard. There are various categories of standards that are provided; one of them is the ISO 9000. These standards provide for the quality assurance requirements that should be met by both service as well as manufacturing industries.

The implementation of these standards is usually through the national standard bodies. In particular, ISO 9000 deals with quality management systems. ISO 9000 is a family of standards that provides organizations with quality management standards as well as quality products and services. Some of the notable standards include the ISO 9001: 2008 that provide the specific requirements that are set for a quality management system. Another standard is the 9000: 2009; this provides the basic concepts that are applied as well as the language.

In order to increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of a quality management system, the ISO: 9004: 2009 comes into play. The most recent in this family is the ISO 19011: 2011; this one provides guidance on the audit of quality management system. ISO 9000 provides for a system audit in order to ensure adherence to set standards. Auditing is done in two main ways, firstly, by an external auditor and secondly by an internal auditor. The main objective of auditing is to ensure that at no given point will the system fail while providing continual improvement of the system.

In some cases, the company can make a step of having the clients conduct an audit of the quality management systems. Auditing makes the company to develop an initiative of regular monitoring of its systems in order to ensure there is compliance with the set standards. Full compliance with the provisions of the ISO 9000 standards makes an organization to be ISO 9000-certified. The process of certification requires that an accreditation body be hired to conduct the assessment in order to prove whether there is compliance or not.

The assessment of the organization is done from the staff level where they are interviewed in order to ensure they have an understanding of ISO compliance. In addition, the paperwork is assessed; a report is then made that details all the requirements that have been met as well as those that do not comply. Certification cannot be issued unless all the areas of non-compliance are rectified. ISO 9000 inculcates the required quality management principles. There are principles that should be met in order for the certificate of compliance to be issued as stipulated in this standard.

Firstly, the customer focus is a key principle that is provided in the standard. Secondly, the standard requires a process approach is used while considering continual improvement. The other thing that is put into perspective is the motivation as well as implication of the top management. At the end of the day, the customers are able to get high quality goods and services consistently.