The patterns of implementing TQM versus ISO 9000 at the beginning of the 1990s

This paper presents the results of a study which aims to review the pattern of implementing TQM versus ISO 9000 at the beginning of the 1990s, so that companies may learn from their past experiences. The research is based on an international survey of 600 companies from 20 countries. It is found that the implementation of ISO 9000 is not always in parallel with the implementation of TQM. A quality map is used to reveal four different paradigms, namely: Low paradigm, characterized by less TQM and less ISO 9000; ISO paradigm with more ISO 9000 but less TQM; TQM paradigm with more TQM but less ISO 9000; and Neo‐TQM paradigm with both more TQM and more ISO 9000. It is found that implementing ISO 9000 alone does not contribute much to quality improvement, while the combination of TQM and ISO 9000 contributes the most. Different paths to the paradigm which combines TQM and ISO 9000 are proposed.