FRANKA PISKAR, Sanolabor, d. d., Ljubljana, Slovenia SLAVKO DOLINŠEK, Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Koper; Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
SUMMARY The main goal of this paper is to put forth and examine certain hypotheses about the effectiveness of quality standards certification. Assuming that companies have already received certification, we conducted an analysis of the implementation of standard (time, involvement of resources,..), how much companies actually gained from the acquisition of certification; not only the achievements, but also the conditions and problems that emerged after the acquisition of certification, and; of the ongoing activities of companies in the area of quality control and continual improvement after certification had been acquired. It has been also analysed if, as a result of the quality standards process, employees are more satisfied, customers are more satisfied and if the interests of the companies have been met.
ISO 9000 CERTIFICATION IN SLOVENIA – NEEDS AND BENEFITS
INTRODUCTION The ISO 9000 standards are widely accepted around the world. In the early nineteen-nineties, standardization and the ISO 9000 standards became the basic minimum that companies must respect if they want their products to be sold in the European Union. At the beginning of 1993, for example, companies in 48 countries throughout the world had received the ISO 9000 certification; by the end of 1998, the number had risen to 143 (Likar, 2000, p. 9). The globalization of markets and the elimination of trade barriers and borders between countries have both played a role in this process. The commonly accepted fact that the quality improvement of products and services positively influences the success of the business has never empirically been proven. In addition, the decision to acquire certification of quality standards is motivated more by factors related to general improvement of quality and business practices, and less by factors that improve actual business efficiency. There has also been very little analysis or precise evaluation of invested time and funds in connection with improved business practices. For these reasons, once certification has been obtained, it is often not clear that companies continue to improve standards with the same energy as before. In many companies, the effects of the ISO 9000 quality system have come under scrutiny. Has the introduction and maintenance of quality control
Key words: quality standards certification, continual improvement 37