International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management

Experiences of implementing ISO 9000 in Swedish industry

Matts Carlsson Dan Carlsson
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Matts Carlsson Dan Carlsson, (1996),"Experiences of implementing ISO 9000 in Swedish industry", International Journal of
Quality & Reliability Management, Vol. 13 Iss 7 pp. 36 - 47
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 IJQRM
13,7
36
Received June 1994
Revised May 1995
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International Journal of Quality
& Reliability Management,
Vol. 13 No. 7, 1996, pp. 36-47
© MCB University Press,
0265-671X
Experiences of implementing
ISO 9000 in Swedish industry
Matts Carlsson and Dan Carlsson
Chalmers University of Technology, School of Applied Engineering
and Maritime Studies, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Gothenburg, Sweden
Introduction and conceptual frame of reference
The period 1990 to 1993 saw a profound transformation within Swedish
industry. This transformation took place in response to the deepest recession
experienced in decades. Companies responded by searching for different
methods to increase their competitive power. One approach in these efforts was
to increase efficiency through the use of different comprehensive quality
concepts. Different advocates propounded different approaches, e.g. total
quality management, different quality awards or ISO 9000. In Sweden, a
widespread debate regarding the suitability and potential of the different
concepts arose. The debate concerning the ISO 9000 system soon became
polarized: one group in favour of the system and one group who saw the system
as an inadequate tool for increasing the competitiveness of companies.
Whatever the standpoint taken in this debate, it seems today to be an
indisputable fact that ISO 9000 is a powerful instrument which cannot be
disregarded; no previous change concept has been able to show, in such a short
time, an equally large number of companies having implemented, or being on
the point of implementing, such a system.
From the general perspective of organizational theory, the introduction of a
quality system involves a major change. There are several driving and
restraining factors influencing such a change. In view of the extent to which
companies are today implementing the ISO 9000 system, it is extremely
important to study and analyse different aspects of this change work from a
societal macro-economic perspective as well as from a micro-economic company
perspective. Additionally, there are a number of issues that need to be
highlighted and treated from the viewpoint of different social perspectives to
increase our understanding of ISO implementation in companies.
The introduction and implementation of a new quality system makes
changes necessary in the companies concerned. These changes usually involve
a change in behaviour, in turn creating a need for information and
communication[1,2]. Within “forcefield” theory, Lewin[3] regards every change
behaviour as a result of the balance between driving and restraining forces.
Factors acting against change in this respect are: group norms, fear of change,
ingrained behaviour and member complacency. According to Lawrence[4],
there are three general sources of resistance to change: uncertainty about the
 cause and effects of change, unwillingness to give up existing benefits; and ISO 9000 in
awareness of weakness in the changes proposed. Resistance to change may be Swedish
tackled in several ways. Kotler and Schlesinger[5] advocate overcoming the industry
barriers through education and communication, participation and involvement,
facilitation and support. Therefore several researchers consider that
communication and participation play a key role in the implementation of a new
quality system[6]. However, communication in the quality area has often been 37
found to be poorly managed[7].
One study after the other has demonstrated the importance of management
commitment and participation in the implementation of quality systems, also in
the communicative part of the work. Hunt[8] considers this aspect of leadership
to be the most critical of all: “Communicating with superiors and subordinates
is the most important job that a leader in an organization must do”. He also
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claims that managements often fail in this respect for two reasons: they do not
think that communication is very important; and they do not know how to
communicate.
A considerable number of comprehensive strategies for introducing and
conceptualizing different quality concepts can be found in the literature.
However, descriptions as to how these modern strategies and concepts can be
diffused in organizations as efficiently as possible and applied by the members
are scarce. There are many advantages of strategies and concepts but without
the participation and understanding of the individuals involved, quality cannot
be created: “programs don’t make quality. People do”[9]. The need for member
participation and commitment to bring about efficient change has become
increasingly obvious both within the quality area[10,11] and within general
organizational theory[12].

Research and methodology

As the implementation of the ISO 9000 system is extremely extensive and far-
reaching, it is of vital importance that this process is studied and analysed. The
experiences made ought to be documented and made available to organizations
which are on the point of taking a decision concerning such a change.
The implementation of a quality system frequently involves a major
organizational change. The assumption is that, for this type of change to be
successful, and in order to achieve quality work which is as efficient as possible,
it is vital that the members involved participate in the change work to the
greatest possible extent. However, such a change is at risk of being subject to
inherent organizational resistance to change. The aim of this study is to
highlight different aspects of the change currently taking place in many
companies to implement the quality system ISO 9000.
The assumption was also made initially that information and
communication have great importance for the successful implementation of a
quality system. For this reason, the study has been oriented towards studying
the overall organizational consistency in attitude to the implementation of the
ISO system.
 IJQRM The study included four phases. An exploratory approach was adopted in
13,7 the first phase to get some idea of the different ways in which Swedish
companies have worked to implement the ISO 9000 system. Open-ended
telephone interviews were used involving a total of 114 companies which were
all ISO 9001 or 9002 certified[13]. In the second phase of the study, the
descriptive part, a questionnaire was designed which was first tested on five
38 companies to increase validity and then distributed to all 214 ISO certified
Swedish companies. In all, 93 usable responses were received, that is, the usable
response frequency was 43 per cent. The questionnaire was sent to, and filled in
by, the person(s) responsible for the certification in the companies, usually the
quality manager, production manager or managing director.
The third phase was carried out to increase the reliability of the study on the
assumption that, by exclusively questioning those responsible for the
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certification, the answers received would be too positive, whereby reliability

would be too low. In this part of the study it was also of interest to investigate
how well the information regarding the implementation of the systems had
been communicated to and was understood by colleagues in the companies.
This part of the investigation was carried out at 22 ISO 9001 certified
companies. Those responsible for quality as well as individuals occupying
other positions, both functionally and hierarchically, were questioned. Both
interviews and questionnaires were used in this phase.
The final phase of the study was carried out in the form of a longitudinal and
action-oriented investigation, where the implementation of the ISO system was
studied in two companies. This study mainly used interviews but also
secondary data, such as quality documents and minutes of meetings.
Observations of meetings were also used as measuring instruments.

Results
In the initial exploratory phase of the study, 114 certified companies were asked
about their reasons for implementing the ISO system by means of open-ended
questions[13]. The reasons given were compiled and classified. The data thus
obtained were used to form the basis of a questionnaire which was distributed
to all ISO certified companies in Sweden in the second phase of the study. Some
of the results of this questionnaire are presented in Table I. The Table also
shows some of the results from phase three, where the views of those
responsible for quality were compared with those of other personnel in the
companies studied.
The reasons for certification can be classified into two main groups: market-
related reasons and those related to internal routines and procedures. Hence, the
companies have opted for certification with the aim of reinforcing their market
positions and to avoid finding themselves in a disadvantageous position
relative to their competitors. The other reason for change was to improve the
companies’ internal routines and efficiency, using the ISO system to create
better internal procedures. Legal requirements seem, almost without exception,
 Stated reasons for certification Mean SD Qual Other
ISO 9000 in
Swedish
A step towards total quality 4.07 1.27 n.a. n.a. industry
International market/customer demands 3.94 1.04 4.10 4.04
Competition 3.86 0.79 4.05 4.09
Create better internal routines and procedures 3.79 0.89 n.a. n.a.
39
Product quality 3.73 0.94 3.80 3.98
Domestic market/customer demands 3.53 1.13 n.a. n.a.
Development tool for the operation 3.43 1.02 n.a. n.a.
Profitability 3.07 1.04 3.11 3.24
Group/management directive 2.92 1.54 3.72 4.02
Reducing the amount of scrap 2.65 1.10 n.a. n.a.
Reducing quality deficiency costs 2.46 1.10 n.a. n.a.
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Increased rapidity 2.38 1.06 n.a. n.a.

Organizational reasons 2.27 0.96 n.a. n.a.
EU-directive 2.20 1.24 1.86 2.56
The Products Liability Act 1.87 1.10 n.a. n.a.
Public authority directive 1.61 0.95 n.a. n.a.
Legal requirement 1.49 0.92 1.25 1.79
Note: Means and standard deviation in 96 ISO certified companies and the mean for persons Table I.
responsible for quality (Qual) and representatives of other functions (other), respectively, in 23 Reasons for
ISO certified companies; 161 respondents; 5-7 respondents per company; scale 1 = no importance, implementing
2 = little importance, 3 = some importance, 4 = great importance, 5 = crucial importance. ISO 9000

to have had a very small influence on the companies’ decision to certify their
operations.
There is great disparity among the respondent companies as to whether ISO
certification is a first step towards total quality. While some companies have
ranked this reason as the most important one, others consider that it lacks
importance completely. This outcome is of fundamental interest, as it reflects
the companies’ different levels of ambition with regard to quality as well as of
their awareness and understanding of the possibilities of using the ISO system
as a tool for organizational development.
The respondents to this type of question are frequently responsible for
quality in their respective companies. They most often command the greatest
knowledge of issues related to quality. At the same time, it is not unreasonable
to assume that the fact that they carry the responsibility for these issues biases
their attitude positively. Furthermore, it is our considered opinion that this type
of change work demands the involvement and commitment of all members of an
organization. In the third phase of the study we therefore compared the
attitudes to different issues of those responsible for quality with other personnel
in the same company. For example, the question dealing with the perceived
reasons for the decision to implement the ISO system was studied. The latter
 IJQRM group was selected both functionally (horizontally) and hierarchically
13,7 (vertically) separate from the former.
There is remarkable consistency in the reasons behind ISO certification. Both
groups hold that the market-related reasons were a dominating factor. In
addition, both groups rank the quality improvement reasons second. Further,
the groups are in agreement that legal requirements have had little influence on
40 the decision to implement the system. It is, however, remarkable that the group
without responsibility for quality in all cases, except for market-related reasons,
shows a higher rating in respect of the reasons behind implementation than the
group with responsibility for quality. The interviews conducted have pointed to
a possible explanation for the higher rating by members without responsibility,
namely that these members have been persuaded to adopt a somewhat
uncritical attitude to the necessity of certification. Further, this group has not
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only adopted an uncritical attitude but has also, in the majority of cases, been
required to implement the ISO system without being able to influence the
process. This seems to have led to the view that the priority given to ISO
implementation has vouched for the importance of certification, which has
influenced the responses to the questionnaire in a positive direction. Imposing
such extensive changes, without the wholehearted commitment of the people
involved, can create future problems in maintaining the ISO system. It can also
be deduced that there are deficiencies in internal communication.
The second category of questions asked, both in the initial exploratory
approach, and in the one presented here, concerned which factors had had a
positive or negative influence on making the work more easy or difficult.
Like many previous studies, this study underlines the need for management
commitment and participation (see Table II). In the final phase of the research,
when participating observations were made, it was possible to study this factor

Reported success factors Mean SD

Management commitment 1.89 0.32

Involvement and commitment of all personnel concerned 1.71 0.52
Work performed using mainly own resources 1.57 0.62
Routines already in place used as a starting-point 1.46 0.64
Certification part of a focused quality strategy 1.37 0.74
Internal audits performed in the course of the work 1.36 0.74
Recording present value, not targeted value 1.27 0.75
Work controlled by a central project group 0.98 0.93
Working with the certifying body at an early stage 0.53 0.83
Table II. Writing the manual first 0.10 1.16
Reported factors
for the successful Importance of consultant –0.22 1.07
implementation of Note: Mean and standard deviation in 96 ISO certified companies. Scale –2 = very negative
ISO 9000 influence, –1 = negative influence, 0 = no influence, +1 = positive influence, +2 = very positive
 in more detail. A management lacking in commitment, not giving clear ISO 9000 in
directives and only partly subscribing to the importance of the quality work, Swedish
leaves room for short-termism among the personnel. The very fact that the industry
nature of the quality work is long-term gives rise to problems regarding
prioritization when more short-term issues are pressing. In the normal case,
only management commitment seems to be able to compensate for this short-
termism. 41
In broad terms, the result was in accordance with expectation. However, it is
interesting to note that the companies investigated are strongly against using
external resources. For example, when it comes to the importance of
consultants, companies perceive this factor to be the only factor having a
negative influence on the result of certification. At the same time, this factor
shows the greatest standard deviation of the variables examined, revealing a
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lack of consensus regarding this issue.

On the basis of the difficulties experienced in implementing ISO 9000 that
emerged in the study, the questionnaire distributed to those responsible for
quality included a question regarding the extent to which companies
perceived the stated difficulties had caused them problems. The result is
shown in Table III.
It can be said to be that the difficulties have been perceived as being
comparatively small. However, implementing the system has demanded large
resources. On average, the companies’ total expenditure for certification was
SEK 300,000 with a minimum of SEK 100,000 and a maximum of SEK 4 million.
The time required varied between three months and six years (in one extreme
case). The average time was 1.5 years.
An extensive quality system like ISO often affects the whole organization.
Some exceptions are found dependent on the different levels of certification
(9001-9003). Also in this respect we considered it essential to investigate in what

Stated reasons for difficulties Mean SD

Time and resource-consuming 3.32 0.98

Difficulties in interpreting the standard 2.94 1.01
Cumbersome and bureaucratic documentation 2.82 0.93
Initial difficulties in making the quality system understood and accepted 2.64 1.06
Difficulties in choosing a suitable level for documentation 2.61 1.02
Difficulties in setting relevant quality goals 2.57 0.77
Difficulties in communicating the message 2.51 0.77
Difficulties in securing employee commitment 2.48 0.90
The accountants lack knowledge of our line of business 1.93 0.99
Table III.
Unclear guidelines from the certifying body 1.92 0.95 Difficulties experienced
Note: Mean and standard deviation in 96 ISO certified companies; scale 1 = no problem, in implementing
2 = minor problems, 3 = some problems, 4 = great problems, 5 = extremely great problems. ISO 9000
 IJQRM way ISO certification was considered to influence the work of the different
13,7 functions, both from the viewpoint of those responsible for quality and from
that of other personnel. The importance of the design function when it comes to
supplying quality products is becoming increasingly recognized. To also get an
idea of the perception of design staff regarding the influence of certification,
only 9001-certified companies were studied in this phase of the investigation.
42 In line with the realization that product development has a great influence on
the performance of subsequent functions, it was further assumed that
certification would exert the strongest influence on the design function. The
result is shown in Table IV.
The result is remarkable in two ways. Both those responsible for quality and
the representatives of other functions thought that the design function had been
least affected by certification. This perception may be a reflection of the actual
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situation. If so, companies risk opting for design solutions which are not
adapted to subsequent functional and/or result-oriented aspects.
The other remarkable observation is that design is the only function showing
a higher value with respect to influence on their own function than reported by
those responsible for quality. The complementary interviews have shown that
the design function perceived the threat of being affected by certification more
acutely, fearing that increased bureaucratization might hamper their “creative”
work (see also Table V).
Results show great differences in attitudes to the way in which certification
has influenced different factors (see Table V). In all cases, with the exception of
competitive ability, those responsible for quality consider the influence of ISO
9000 to have been greater than do the representatives of other functions. Even
with respect to the only factor that has received a negative value, those
responsible for quality perceived the influence to have been greater. However,
there is consensus among both those responsible for quality and those not
responsible that it is primarily internal routines and procedures that have been
positively affected. There is also agreement that there has been a positive
influence on customer relations and competitive ability.
It is interesting to note that co-operation across functional boundaries is
regarded to have been positively affected. This view has emerged in several
interviews carried out at certified companies. One of the most crucial issues in
the quality area is to what extent quality concepts actually generate efficiency,

Table IV. Influence of ISO 9000 on functions

Perceptions of persons Quality Function concerned
responsible for quality,
and those in other Production 4.19 3.81
functions, regarding how
much different functions’ Marketing 4.00 3.69
work is affected by Purchasing 3.93 3.76
ISO 9000 Design 2.81 3.00
 Quality Other
ISO 9000 in
Swedish
Better internal routines and procedures 1.57 1.25 industry
Customer relations 1.13 0.84
Internal co-operation 1.11 0.80
Product quality 1.05 0.91
43
Competitive ability 1.03 1.15
Improvement activities 0.90 0.84
Sales 0.83 0.63
Administration 0.72 0.25
Lead times 0.53 0.35 Table V.
Perceptions of the way
Bureaucracy –0.61 –0.27 in which ISO certification
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Note: 23 ISO certified companies, 161 respondents, 5-7 respondents per company. The respective has had a positive or
views of the quality function and other functions are presented. Scale –2 = very negatively, negative influence on
–1 = negatively, 0 = no influence, +1 = positively, + 2 very positively different factors

as seen from a comprehensive perspective. One of the study’s underlying

aspects has been to investigate in what way the views of those responsible for
ISO 9000 differ from those of the rest of the personnel within the organization.
However, the discussion above demonstrates that indications of this type of
divergence are not very strong. Company managements should resist being led
into managing their companies based on different types of “subconcepts”.
Consequently, appraisal of the financial result becomes extremely important to
be able to motivate people to work with this type of concept. Those responsible
for quality in this study were initially asked to identify the measurable results
of the certification carried out. Responses are shown in Table VI.
These results give an idea of the perception of those members of the
organization responsible for quality. It also serves as an indication of the extent
of the problem of measurability. Only in exceptional cases did respondents
consider that certification had led to measurable improvements. Typically, this
concerned more efficient routines and improved internal quality. Other
improvements are perceived to have been achieved to a lesser extent, there
being on this point a wide distribution (standard deviation) of answers received
from the respondent companies.
Further, in many respects the results are not consistent. More efficient
routines ought, in all probability, to lead to improvements in terms of scrap,
quality deficiency costs as well as lead times and productivity. Earlier studies
have emphasized the difficulty of understanding the linkage between higher
quality and improved productivity[14].
The concluding question concerned the companies’ reasoning behind the
choice of certifying body. The result can be seen in Table VII.
As can be seen in the Table, it is in reality only two factors – international
operations of the certifying body and their image and status – which have had
 IJQRM Mean SD
13,7
More efficient routines 3.57 0.92
Improved internal quality 3.24 0.88
Improved total quality 3.14 0.94
More customers 3.03 0.93
44
Improved delivery precision 2.83 1.02
Increased product quality 2.72 1.11
More efficient manufacturing 2.72 1.12
Less scrap 2.64 1.18
Decreased quality deficiency costs 2.52 1.16
Improved profitability 2.48 1.06
Reduced lead times 2.39 1.24
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New markets 2.31 1.19

Increased productivity 2.25 1.14
Table VI. Reduced guarantee costs 2.07 0.21
Reported measurable Note: Mean and standard deviation in 96 ISO certified companies. Scale 1 = no measurable effect,
results of ISO 2 = little measurable effect, 3 = some measurable effect, 4 = great measurable effect, 5 = very
certification great measurable effect.

Mean SD

International operations 3.78 1.16

Image/status of the certifying body 3.71 1.03
Domestic operations 3.12 1.30
Knowledge of the specific industry 2.83 1.28
Domestic market experience 2.70 1.16
Language 2.63 1.28
Personal liaison 2.38 1.36
Cost 2.31 1.01
Customer expectations/wishes 2.16 1.35
Table VII.
Reported factors Bilateral agreements 2.13 1.25
influencing the choice Note: Mean and standard deviation in 96 ISO certified companies. Scale 1 = no importance,
of certifying body 2 = little importance, 3 = some importance, 4 = great importance, 5 = very great importance

a determining influence on the companies’ choice of certifying body. Domestic

operations have also in some cases exerted an important influence but the
perceptions of the companies differ in this respect. The domestic aspect has
played an important role for small and medium-sized companies with well
established domestic operations. That cost lacks importance is mainly due to
the fact that they are gradually levelling out.
It is surprising that knowledge of the specific industry is not perceived to
have had a particularly great influence. This may possibly be explained by a
 lack of knowledge in the respondent companies or by poor communication on ISO 9000 in
the part of the certifying bodies in transferring this knowledge. Knowledge of Swedish
the specific industry is important for efficient progress in certification work. industry
The role of the customer is significant in the quality area. It is therefore
surprising that customer expectations and wishes are perceived to have had
only little influence. It would be more logical if customer adaptation had
permeated all the considerations made by quality-conscious companies. 45
However, reality proves different, and the supplementary interviews conducted
clearly show that what the “theories” say about customer adaptation is in
practice considerably deficient. The companies studied have only limited
knowledge of their customers’ wishes and needs and, when it comes to more
sophisticated issues, such as their views on the choice of certifying body, they
lack knowledge completely. Of course, the extent to which customers influence
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the choice of certifying body should not be exaggerated. The result carries
importance more in principle than in practice for this issue.
The path leading to certification in the companies investigated is
characterized by individual experiences based on different background factors
which are more or less impossible to influence. These include, among other
things duality-related factors, such as the degree to which the respondents had
used and been familiar with different types of quality systems prior to
certification. The experience of certifying bodies and consultants varies
strongly, with recommendations spanning the whole scale from “do not on any
account use consultants” to “whatever you do, use consultants”. There are
several different explanations for these conflicting views regarding the
importance of consultants, one of which concerns the consultants’ varying
levels of professionalism relative to the companies’ own knowledge about
quality issues.
However, when it comes to the involvement and commitment of
management, experiences coincide – their wholehearted commitment is of
critical importance. There is also consensus of opinion that the company’s own
personnel should document and implement the quality system themselves. It is
important that all personnel are involved in this work and that the
documentation reflects the present situation and not an ideal future situation
foisted on them by some external consultant or project group. Internal audits,
which should be performed regularly, facilitated implementation.
Recommendations to companies about implementating ISO 9000 are listed
below: top management’s support and commitment is vital; all personnel should
be engaged in the process; the certifying body should be engaged at an early
stage; prepare the manual first; draw up a long-term time plan; certification is
the only part of a focused quality strategy to attain total quality; make internal
audits during the course of the work; document the present situation, not the
desired one; perform the work swiftly using utmost concentration; educate all
personnel; do the work yourself, use consultants sparingly; engage a qualified
consultant to interpret the standard; use the routines already in place as a
starting-point; prepare a common plan of action for the different functions but
 IJQRM let them document the work themselves; do not set up a quality department;
13,7 distribute responsibility to line members.
Documenting the quality system easily becomes unnecessarily bureaucratic.
To avoid this, the work should be started by documenting the routines and
processes already in place. Then the certifying body or other experienced
consultant should be used to adapt the level of documentation and, after that,
46 the routines missing should be added.

Concluding remarks
During 1993 and 1994, a major debate flared up about the advantages and
disadvantages of ISO 9000 certification of organizations. Some argued that
certification was inadequate when it comes to creating competitive companies
and organizations, and that, instead, companies should go for more offensive
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concepts such as total quality management or other quality awards. As long as

proof is lacking that certification actually results in tangible gains, this type of
discussion will continue. The risk is therefore great that the debate becomes
protracted.
Several evaluations exist today showing many positive effects of opting for
working towards the American Malcolm Baldrige National Award. However,
the immediate causality between such efforts and the effects on key parameters
ought to be very difficult to prove from a strictly scientific perspective. Of
course, this type of difficulty also exists in the ISO area. The indications of
measurable positive effects found here probably only reflect the perception and
expectations of those responsible for certification.
One thing is certain, the ISO system is here to stay. It is an important catalyst
for change, which, correctly used, gives it great potential for bringing about
positive change. Thus, assuming that the system will be around for a long
period of time, several scientific issues will need to be highlighted and studied.
We need more knowledge about the system on all levels, from an overall
perspective down to more detailed issues.
From an organizational perspective, the implementation of an ISO system is
a change process. The results of the study presented here, for example, have
established that those responsible for quality regarded the influence of
certification on all functions to have been greater than did the representatives of
these functions themselves. Further, those not responsible perceived that
implementation of the system was the result of a management directive to a
greater extent than those responsible for quality. Also, when it comes to the
effects of the implemented system, those responsible for quality reported
greater effects than other personnel. The attitudes of the latter may reflect a
weaker interest in the ISO system than may be required for the ISO system to
exert a strong influence on the development of the quality work in companies.
To sum up, the outcome of the study is surprisingly consistent regarding the
perception of the investigated companies to specific issues. Thus, it appears
that these companies have been successful in their communication relating to
these issues.
 Uncertainty regarding the underlying reasons and the expected effects of ISO 9000 in
change prevents efficient change. We have in our study found indications that Swedish
this is a factor at least partly in play when it comes to implementing the ISO industry
system in industry. Earlier studies have shown an extremely large discrepancy
between the way in which company management and employees perceive and
interpret quality strategies[14]. To remedy this situation, a possible way
forward might be greater member participation through delegation of the 47
operative quality work. This solution should then be complemented with
information and education – strictly in line with the theories within the area of
management of change.

References
1. Atkinson, P.E. and Naden, J., “Total quality management: eight lessons to learn from
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