Home > Articles

📄 Contents

  1. ISO 9001 and Innovation
  2. The Business Call for ISO 9001
This chapter is from the book

The Business Call for ISO 9001

It was once standard practice for large organizations to help their suppliers develop ever higher levels of sophistication in quality, supplier management, and logistics. Supplier quality engineers (SQEs) were tasked with analyzing the supplier base and offering training and other direct help to targeted suppliers to improve their performance and maintain costs. Today, few offer this kind of support. As the price to do so has increased, specialists have taken the place of many former multitasking operations. In addition, the rise of ISO 9001 acceptance has largely transferred managerial oversight to ISO 9001’s third-party auditor. As a result, the majority of ISO 9001–registered companies now also require ISO 9001 registration of their suppliers.

It’s far less expensive to require oversight than to provide it.

Small businesses constitute the majority of organizations currently registered for ISO 9001. With more than 1 million registrations currently in place, it’s also clear that many of these small organizations are registered because of requirements imposed by their larger customers. The call to be “9001 registered” by these larger clients is primarily driven by the cost of maintaining a large staff of SQEs; many have chosen to instead rely on third-party auditors to ensure compliance and related satisfactory outcomes of the audit process.

For most small businesses, the requirement to register is often perceived as a tax on business. Given that these organizations are currently successful in selling and gaining acceptance of their products, what can ISO 9001 add that isn’t already in place? The answer is little more than restating the requirement that all suppliers be registered—the perception of ISO as little more than a tax, an additional fee imposed to remain or become a supplier. Indeed, the majority of registrants did so because they had to, not because they wanted to. In turn, many approach the registration process as a “min-for-max” proposition, spending the least amount possible to gain registration and hoping that the net outcome will not excessively hinder their current practices.

This is especially true in terms of maintaining their ability to be flexible and responsive to their customers. ISO 9001 is often incorrectly perceived as a system that slows down operations with additional forms and paperwork, takes more time to develop concepts into finished products, sets up a new layer of bureaucracy through which many decisions and controls have to undergo new and confusing scrutiny, and simply costs more money than it’s worth. None of these assumptions need be true, but all have the ability to become so, especially if the min-for-max approach is utilized. Unfortunately, it is easier and faster to overlay a patina of acceptability and compliance through methods that are favorable to the third-party auditor rather than addressing the improvement needs of the company seeking registration.

The min-for-max approach intensively relies on documentation, forms, and reports to provide evidence of compliance to the standard. It can be, and often is, available as a package of materials requiring some basic editing to indicate relevance to the company and its practices along with appropriate training of a select few who have been charged with developing the program. It also sets in place most of the negative perceptions of ISO 9001 as a tax on business because the goal is tactical (registration as a business requirement) rather than strategic (registration to improve business practices and performance). As a result, the company develops work instructions instead of its workforce, produces reports that satisfy specific clauses within the standard instead of specific needs, and compiles documentation structured to convey permanence and authority instead of clarity and understanding.

The call to register to the standard is strong within the marketplace. Organizations face a choice: Do they undertake study and planning for implementation that first and foremost enables and improves, or do they throw together a string of documented evidence primarily relevant to achieving registration? Even if the initial belief of top management is that ISO 9001 is a tax on business, there is much to recommend in the adage, “If all you have are lemons, make lemonade!” The strategic approach allows the company to ride atop the wave, or at least seize the opportunity to develop a clear path to doing so, while the tactical approach most often leads organizations to become consumed by it. Developing your quality management system, whether it be a new registration or an upgrade from the 2008 revision, is a strategic decision, one that will affect the working lives of everyone in your company.

We believe that there is opportunity in the making. The following chapters were developed to define the reasons, methods, and possible tools to achieve initial registration or upgrade to the 2015 revision of ISO 9001 that add value to your business. The 2015 revision is the culmination of many years of development and worldwide acceptance. Chapter 2 examines that history a bit further and explicates the differences between the 2008 release and the 2015 revision. As you continue reading, keep in mind that the intent of the ISO 9001 standard is to enable best practices, not to restrict them. Even though you may be compelled to register by customer demands, it’s infinitely better to adopt the position that the organization was instead given the opportunity to improve.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020