Quality system certification (QMS) is a sought-after commodity for many companies around the world. To obtain a better understanding of why companies seek an outside auditing agency  to certify their quality management system, please conduct an Internet research into three companies who have QMS certification. The first company to discuss will have ISO 9001 certification; the second, TS16949 certification, and a third with AS9100 certification. Reflect, comment and include specific references to how these standards have procedurally and economically benefited these companies. 

 

A Case Study on Quality System Certification

A quality management system can be defined as one that documents the policies, business practices, and techniques essential for an organization or business entity to produce and generate its products or services for its consumers. This in turn increases customer satisfaction by producing high-quality products. (Bashan & John, 2021) Therefore, this enables a company to realize the regulatory requirements while actualizing the customer requirements and consequently greatly improves the company’s operations. This paper shall delve into quality system certification, what it entails, and its significance in relation to the business entities.

There are various types of certifications. While it is not mandatory that a company be certified to operate, certification greatly boosts the company’s success. ISO 9001 Certification is applicable in both production and service industries more so in manufacturing and customer-based companies. ISO 9001 is part of the ISO 9000 series standards that ensure that a company is sustaining and working towards improved quality in every aspect of their business. These standards are used as a quality measurement system to deliver the best products and services to the client. (Wiengarten et al., 2018) To be precise, the ISO 9001 standard requires certification. In addition to that, ISO 9001 is not a legal requirement and thus companies may conduct their business without its certification. It is however beneficial that the company is certified to facilitate the company’s success.

Most companies across the world follow ISO 9001 and thus allow them to maintain high standards of quality assurance and is recognized as a significant pointer of a company’s dedication to effectively conducting their businesses (Demir et al., 2021). Examples of companies that are ISO 9001 certified include independent, non-governmental, and international organizations that form standards to guarantee the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, systems, and services.

A perfect example of such an organization includes Capgemini which has unlocked numerous business benefits thanks to certification. Being a global leader in IT services and technology consulting, Capgemini has been able to improve its quality and IT management systems, increase standardization and reduce errors as well as realizing greater client satisfaction and quality assurance. Moreover, this company has been able to actualize more efficiency and reduced costs, enhanced organizational hardiness, and better business performance as a whole. (Singh & Bharti, 2018) Simply put, the authoritative British Standards Institution verification of their high-quality services has been beneficial to the organization a great deal.

Another kind of certification is the TS 16949 certification. This type of certification entails a quality system in the automotive industry required to improve quality and guarantee the integrity of supplies within the industry (Neves et al., 2021). It is a quality requirement applicable to any organization that manufactures components and parts for supply in the automotive industry. (Miguel et al., 2011) In simpler terms, it is based on the ISO 9001 but which has more specific requirements of the automotive sphere. It specifically adds to greater management involvement, greater resource management, product realization and measurement, analysis, and general improvement areas. (Helmond & Terry, 2021) DEKRA is an example of such an organization that has largely grown thanks to certification.

The other type of certification is the AS9100 which is the international quality management system standard for the Aviation, Space, and Defense (AS&D) industry. It was invented by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG). This standard provides its users with the requisite essentials for creating and upholding an all-inclusive quality system for providing safe and reliable products to the Aviation, Space, and Defense sector including the civil and military aviation industry. (Cressionnie, 2017) Leatherneck Precision Machine is an example of both ISO 9001 and AS 9100 certified companies. The evident benefits of their certification directly translate to reaching their uttermost accomplishments in business.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the benefits of having quality management systems and being certified for the same are expansive. By merely being certified, companies enjoy wide and vast advantages. First, customer satisfaction is a major plus enjoyed by certified organizations. Such companies appreciate their processes and are thus empowered to explore opportunities for improvement and growth more easily. On top of that, the fact that certification is a periodic requirement, such companies endeavor to always refine and constantly advance their customer experience. This in turn places them in a position of prolonged enhancement and thus economically benefits the company.

Secondly, certified companies enjoy reduced costs of service. This is because such certification drives business entities to reach their ideal operational efficiency. (Brevi, Murmura & Santos, 2019) Better efficiency lowers the operational costs which then impacts positively on the company’s economic status.

Moreover, certification promotes a consistent level of quality. Because of the requirement to maintain a system of detecting problems and solving them, certified entities are placed in a constant quality-checker kind of system. (Brevi, Murmura & Santos, 2019) This ensures that the quality of products and services is improved and in the least maintained as opposed to being lowered.

Trust is easily achieved where companies are certified. The certification process unifies a company’s employees and departments as everyone is working towards a common goal to realize the same set of standards. This kind of collaboration promotes trustworthiness and thus boosts the customers’ confidence in the company.

In conclusion, certification affords companies great advantages that positively translate to the economic growth of the organizations. It is, therefore, my conclusion that despite certification not being a legal requirement, it presents a good opportunity for business entities to stimulate their economic growth. As a result, all growth-oriented companies should strive to be certified in a bid to actualizing their ultimate economic success.

A Case Study on Quality System Certification

1. First Paragraph
   1. Introduction
   2. A quality management system can be defined as one that documents the policies, business practices, and techniques essential for an organization or business entity to produce and generate its products or services for its consumers.
2. Second Paragraph
   1. Various types of certifications.
3. Third Paragraph
   1. Most companies across the world follow ISO 9001 and thus allow them to maintain high standards of quality assurance and is recognized as a significant pointer of a company’s dedication to effectively conducting their businesses. (Demir et al., 2021)
4. Fourth Paragraph
   1. A perfect example of such an organization includes Capgemini which has unlocked numerous business benefits thanks to certification.
5. Fifth Paragraph
   1. Another kind of certification is the TS 16949 certification.
6. Sixth Paragraph
   1. The other type of certification is the AS9100 which is the international quality management system standard for the Aviation, Space, and Defense (AS&D) industry.
7. Seventh Paragraph
   1. International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG).