Reasons Why Companies Stop at ISO 9000.
(i) TQM is a continuous process.
TQM is a continuous process where there is no definite end. Firms can only achieve high levels of quality through continuous improvements. In contrast, ISO 9000 has a start, middle and an end. With the certification, companies can proclaim themselves to be ISO 9000 certified. The ambiguity or difficulty of witnessing the end or the achievement of total quality deters companies from proceeding to TQM from ISO 9000(Samuel, 1996: 45). It thus leads to the false notion that ISO 9000 certification is sufficient enough to be a quality organisation, which ends the quality journey for a typical company.
(ii) Long term nature of TQM.
The benefits and cost reductions of TQM would normally take a few years to realize. For example, Motorola had a quality system installed for a period of eight years before benefits were realized. Management would normally expect a quick payoff or tangible benefits in the short-run for the projects that it undertakes. Since TQM benefits are long term in nature, management has the constrained idea that it does not support business objectives such as profitability (Corrigan, 1994:81).
The long-term nature of TQM and short-term view of management make it difficult to cost justify TQM in the short run which in turn prohibits its" development.
(iii) Marketability of ISO 9000 compared to TQM.
Most companies are seeking ISO 9000 certification basically for marketability purposes. An increasing number of organizations, including the government, have made it mandatory for companies to be ISO 9000 certified in order to apply for their projects. Since ISO 9000 certification is being used as the yardstick of being a quality organization, it can be used to "market" the company (Bradley, 1994). On the other hand, practice of TQM is not readily recognizable by external parties unless the firm has won or achieved some quality awards.
