On 18 July, Gray Southon asked:
"Can you provide information or experience that ISO 9000 does really
enhance innovation and learning in a significant number of organisations
that take it on, rather than the exceptional few?"
I spent three years consulting with many electronic manufacturing
companies in Europe, and two years since consulting worldwide. I have
seen a few really great companies, mostly mediocre ones, and more really
poorly managed companies than you would think. The one thing they all
have in common is a nicely-framed ISO9000 certificate hanging in the
lobby.
>From these data, I would deduce that an ISO900X certification does not
help build a learning organization. Here are some opinions on why:
1. In the electronics industry, ISO9000 is very much a requirement because
the business is so globalized and everyone needs to sell into Europe.
Every company seems to find a way to get certified and stay certified,
even if they do not have the spirit.
2. ISO9000 methodology does not start with business results. It basically
says "document what you do and do what you documented", it doesn't care if
you satisfy customers or make money.
3. ISO provides a way to store knowledge, but it does not provide a way to
learn new knowledge. A Knowledge organization is not necessarily a
Learning organization.
All that said, I also believe that ISO9000 has value for other reasons,
and can be very helpful in improving quality if taken in the right spirit.
Best Regards,
Scott Elliott
scott_elliott@hotmail.com
"QUALITY is not having to say you're sorry"
--Scott Ellliott <scotte@sonic.net>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>