Quality management principles

This is an overview of the quality management principles as defined in ISO 9000:2005 and ISO 9004:2000. There are eight quality management principles; they are the basis of the ISO 9000 series. They are namely:-

1. Customer Focus: As per International standards, the definition says “Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, should meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations.” Here the term customer is generalized for the external (end user), as well as for internal customers. Ensuring that you meet and exceed the expectation of the customer. Maintain and establish a strong customer relationship chain – the feedback system, the grievance redress system. Understand that the customer is at the focal point for the very existence of an organization. The objective of everybody and every function of the organization should be linked to the customer needs and expectations, and the same to be properly communicated through out the organization. A satisfied customer brings more profit.


2. Leadership: As per International Standards “Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization’s objectives.” Leadership is required for providing appropriate resources, guiding the organization to a common goal, objectives and vision.

3. Involvement of people: As per standards, it is defined as “People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization’s benefit.” The organization policies – quality policy, goals, objectives, vision – are to be properly communicated and make them understand the importance of their roles, responsibility/accountability, contribution in the organization. Empower them with the feeling of process ownership. They are the real assets of an organization, involve them in decision making. Their competency is a matter of concern for the organization; if the people are not competent enough they can not deliver. Their competency can be enhanced by training/re-training/re-fresher. Their performance need to be evaluated.

4. Process Approach: As per standards “A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a process”. The standard calls for process approach. The end product/service of a controlled process is bound to have higher quality. All the activities along with the resources are taken as processes and their interlinking is vital. The key processes or the key activity need to be controlled. The best way is to standardize the processes/activity. This will ensure that the same process is repeated again without variation. This way the system becomes independent of individuals, or other variable resources, once a process is standardized. It will give the same result (reliability and quality).

5. System approach to management: As per standards, “Identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes as a system contributes to the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objectives.” This calls for sequencing, aligning, integrating of the activities / processes. All the processes taken together have to be treated as system.

6. Continual Improvement: It says “Continual improvement of the organization’s overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organization”. The organization has to strive towards continual improvement.

7. Factual approach to decision making: As per the International standards “Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information”. Decisions are taken based on the facts and data, so data collection system, retrieval of data and accessibility of data need to be taken care of.

8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships: As per standards “An organization and its suppliers are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value”. No organization can exist alone; it has to depend upon the supplier for one or more requirements. The incoming material quality is important. There has to be clear communication between the parties concerned about the quality standards and other transactions.