On the implementation of ISO 9001:2000: a comparative investigation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the results of a study investigating the association between organizational differences and some aspects relating to the implementation of ISO 9001:2000. Design/methodology/approach – Data required for this study were collected from 42 ISO 9001:2000‐certified organizations of different size and sector type in the Sultanate of Oman. The Kruskal‐Wallis test was adopted for testing 12 research hypotheses. Findings – The results show that there is no strong evidence to suggest that the motives for implementation, the process and cost of achieving certification, the perceived benefits, and the shortcomings differ significantly according to organization size or sector type. Practical implications – The main outcome of this study is that the issue of organization size or sector type should not be a factor for an organization in deciding certification. This outcome is of value to organizations that are interested investing in ISO certification. Originality/value – Several studies have been carried out investigating aspects relating to the implementation of the ISO 9001:2000 quality management standard in organizations operating in different countries. However, the issue of whether these aspects differ according to organization size or sector type has not been sufficiently and appropriately addressed in the literature. This paper reports on the results of a study investigating these issues.