Evaluation of implementing ISO 9001:2000 standard in the construction industry of China

Abstract

In December 2000, the new series of ISO 9000 standard was issued. This new quality management series carries some significant changes and modifications, bringing some impact and requiring adaptation for the current ISO 9000-certified organizations. This paper aims at investigating the problems in applying the new standard, with particular reference to the construction industry and its effects to the ISO 9000-certified organizations. Most certified firms, as revealed from the survey, opined that implementing ISO 9000 alone did not add much to quality improvement, while a combination of ISO 9000 and Total Quality Management (TQM) would contribute the most. The survey identifies that the main obstacle in reaping all the goodness of ISO 9000 standards is "the shortsighted goal of organizations in getting the certification". Most Chinese construction firms, as unveiled in the study, describe that the most effective quality management system should be "ISO 9000 integrated with TQM".