ISO 9000/9001/9002

Product liability is an issue which causes extensive litigation from customers leading to financial damages to companies in USA. To tackle this matter at the right earnest, companies started product traceability systems. The net result is the ISO 9000 system which was introduced somewhere in 1970/80s period and has been refined over a period of time. The basic purpose of ISO 9000 system was product traceability and from there it has grown into other areas of activities of organisation. Of course, continuous improvement and exceeding customer delight are the avowed goals of quality systems as things stand.

There was a frenzy for ISO 9000 systems in 1990s as it became clear that American companies would not engage any organisation which does not have ISO 9000 certification. If one looks at how organisations work, all that is required is systematic records and flow chart for all activities and at a basic level this is all what ISO 9000 quality systems do. The rest of what one comes across is only icing on the cake.

I was amused to see an electric sub station in Jaipur railway complex ( complex consists of railway station and associated offices, administrative office for Jaipur area, railway colony for the employees of the station and maintenance yard, loco repair shed and its residential colony - all these put together Jaipur railway complex occupies a vast area ) with a large board proclaiming that this sub station is ISO 9000: 2001 certified.All that I can gather from this proud board is that there are some log books and record books which are updated punctually without fail.

Government systems must be the easiest for ISO 9000 certification as nothing moves without approvals on paper and this is the corner stone of ISO: 9000 system. There is no question of lightning action in government system which calls for post facto sanctions and approvals.

Now the question is why only sub station is ISO:9000 certified. It is small cog in the wheel as far as Jaipur railway complex is concerned. Unless substantial part of the complex is ISO: 9000 certified , it does not make any sense.


I have seen this trend elsewhere too where a small set up in a large organisation alone is ISO 9000 certified. There is no point in having only the rest rooms of a large building being ISO:9000 certified while the rest of the building stinks of human excreta !

It is time we got over the ISO 9000 mania. I am not saying quality system certification is not important. There is no need to shout from the roof top - just frame the certificate and hang it at the appropriate location so that the interested parties may take a look if needed.