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Introduction
With the publication of the Draft International Standard ISO 9000:2000 and the attempts to reposition it as a standard for quality management systems as opposed to merely quality assurance, the debate as to its place and contribution to business improvement and excellence has been rekindled. For some, the question asked is, having ensured my system is compliant with the new standard do I now need to bother with excellence models? For others, whose goal is excellence, the focus is more on the contribution the new standard can make to that journey. This paper examines the changes to both the Excellence model (April 1999) and the proposed ISO 9000 standard, in particular ISO 9001:2000, and seeks to answer both of those questions. It seeks to establish where there is common ground and where the differences exist in both purpose and detail.
Principles and scope
ISO 9000:2000 is in fact a family of standards developed to assist organizations implement and operate effective quality management systems. ISO 9000 describes the fundamentals of quality management systems; ISO 9001 specifies requirements for quality management systems; whilst ISO 9004 provides guidance on quality management systems. In repositioning ISO 9000:2000 to focus more on quality management, the authors have sought to underpin this change with an emphasis on eight quality management principles.
The use of fundamental principles has been a key component of business excellence since the development of the model in 1990. With each successive review, the principles that underpin it have also been challenged for their continued relevance. The most recent review of the model, which resulted in the launch in April 1999 of the newly titled EFQM Excellence Model, instigated a number of changes and enhancements, reflected in these fundamental principles. The changes address the importance of partnerships and the need for continuous learning and innovation with emphasis on the management and sharing of knowledge.
In determining an answer to the question of competition or co-operation, the use of fundamental principles provides a useful starting point. Figure 1 shows the comparison.
Not surprisingly, the match is strong. Both sets of principles recognize the importance of customer focus and the key role of leadership in providing both drive and focus. The changes to ISO 9000:2000 place a greater...