Quality beyond the enterprise

The meaning of “quality” is moving into a new phase. Quality for long has been based on a – what is hereafter called – first and second generation connotation. Recent notions of “accountability” and “responsibility” are blending into the strategy of organisations and (implicitly) into the resultant criterion of “impact on society”. Although still early days, it is argued that there is growing proof indicating an emerging third‐generation notion of quality; a notion that will require a fundamental (re)orientation of long valid (organisational) strategies and practices. This paper provides an overview of these three notions and describes some of the implications of the emerging re‐orientation. As a whole it aims to describe tomorrow’s notion of quality as it emerges today.