ISO 9000 – what it means to international business today

Abstract

Based on the idea that promoting standardization will encourage the international exchange of goods and services, ISO 9000 is a series of internationally accepted standards which companies use to develop quality management systems and quality improvement processes. It has fast become a customer‐driven prerequisite for supplying goods and services to many businesses in the European Community (EC). Obtaining ISO 9000 certification is not a trivial process. It requires a significant investment in money and time, as well as management’s commitment. Even with the proper resources, US companies are having some difficulties in obtaining certification due to the abundance of ill‐qualified ISO registrars and consultants. But when a company does obtain its certification, it is another cleared hurdle in the race to win new business in the ever expanding arena of international business.