What are international standards for quality management?

Maintaining a minimum standard of quality for product design and function has become a priority for companies entering the global market. Competition on the international market means competing against different sets of markers and criteria that vary from nation to nation and region to region. In order to compete on this level, companies must adhere to principals of quality that are often set by international organizations.

Identification

International quality standards are criteria or rules set up by organizations that help determine compliance across national borders. These rules make it easier to conduct business on a level playing field and also allow more collaboration by overcoming local or regional constraints.

Function

International standards center around issues such as the rules of measurement units, use of symbols or how to define a process to meet quality control.

International Organization for Standardization

A number of organizations have taken the lead to set, monitor and manage these standards.The most influential group that monitors global standards is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The ISO helps define a consensus among participating groups, such as national standards institutes from over 160 counties and various industry associations. The 18,000 and still growing number of consensus points define standardization rules around environmental issues, telecommunications guidelines and product design.

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  1. ISO: ISO Standards
  2. ASTM International: About ASTM International

Ranjna Das began writing abstracts and brief articles in 1990 for "Biology Digest," a science publication. After a long hiatus from writing, she now enjoys contributing to eHow. She holds bachelor's degrees in communications and English, and a master's degree in library science from Rutgers University.

Quality management standards establish a framework for how a business manages its key activities. They identify an agreed way of doing something, either making a product, managing a process or delivering a service.

What are quality standards?

Quality management standards are details of requirements, specifications, guidelines and characteristics that products, services and processes should consistently meet in order to ensure:

  • their quality matches expectations
  • they are fit for purpose
  • they meet the needs of their users

Standards are an essential element of quality management systems.

Purpose of quality management standards

Businesses use standards to satisfy their customers' quality requirements and for a range of other reasons, such as:

  • ensuring safety and reliability of their products and services
  • complying with regulations, often at a lower cost
  • defining and controlling internal processes
  • meeting environmental objectives

Businesses committed to following quality management standards are often more able to:

  • increase their profits
  • reduce losses or costs across the business
  • improve their competitiveness
  • gain market access across the world
  • increase consumer loyalty

See also advantages of quality management systems.

Examples of quality management standards

ISO international standards are by far the most widely accepted set of quality standards in the world. ISO 9001:2015 specifies the requirements for a quality management system that businesses can use to develop their own quality agenda.

See also ISO 9001 quality management standard.

Other standards related to quality include:

  • the remaining ISO 9000 family, including ISO 9000 and ISO 9004
  • the ISO 14000 family for environmental management systems
  • ISO 13485 for medical devices
  • ISO 19011 for auditing management systems
  • ISO/TS 16949 for automotive-related products

Standards can be very specific, applying to a particular type of product, or general such as wide-ranging management practices. Find a list of ISO management system standards.

Use of standards may be voluntary, but certain groups of customers or stakeholders may expect it. Also, some organisations and government bodies may require suppliers and partners to comply with standards as a condition of doing business.

Other types of best practice standards

Standards can help you to achieve best practice in a wide range of business activities, not just quality management. For example:

What are quality management standards?

Quality management standards are details of requirements, specifications, guidelines and characteristics that products, services and processes should consistently meet in order to ensure: their quality matches expectations. they are fit for purpose. they meet the needs of their users.

What are the 3 ISO standards?

ISO 9001:2015, a standard for general organizational quality management systems (QMS), including vendor management. ISO comprises QMS standards for specific industries, too. ISO 27001:2013, a standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) ISO 14001:2015, a standard for Environmental Management Systems.

What are ISO standards?

An ISO standard is essentially an internationally recognised way of doing something. It means that everyone follows the same set of guidelines no matter where they are based, resulting in a safer, more consistent end result. This benefits both the organisation and the customer or end user.