Abstract :
There are benefits and there are drawbacks with ISO 9000, but they are very much dependent on what the industry is. It makes little difference whether it is a service sector industry or manufacturing. It does seem to have more to do with how traditional the industry is, thus the older the industry, the more likely it is that the pros will outstrip the cons. This is perhaps because of the amount of regulation that newer industries are already subject to, be that government regulation, or indeed imposed conditions by customers or foreign owners. Another factor that may lead to the same conclusion is the amount of change that the industry is subject to. The more traditional industries are subject to a slower rate of change therefore the restrictions imposed by ISO 9000 may work very well, however in the newer industries the rate of change is so fast that they become an unnecessary straightjacket. It would therefore follow that prior to going ahead with ISO 9000 the industry should be examined and, if it is indeed traditional, go ahead. If, however, the industry is more modern, then perhaps it would be beneficial to conduct an industry specific study, between competitors and friends, and only go forward if they have found tangible benefits
