The impact of just-in-time implementation and ISO 9000 certification on total quality management

In this paper, we examine the impact of just-in-time (JIT) implementation and International Standards Organization (ISO) 9000 certification (as specified by the original standards of the early 1990s) on quality management efforts of manufacturing firms. Responding firms in the study were grouped into four categories based on their ISO 9000 and JIT orientation: 1) firms that are ISO 9000 certified but have not implemented JIT (ISO firms ); 2) firms that are ISO 9000 certified and have implemented JIT (ISO-JIT firms); 3) firms that have implemented JIT but are not ISO 9000 certified (JIT firms); and 4) firms that have not implemented JIT and are not ISO 9000 certified ( traditional firms). These groups were compared along 13 plant-level total quality management (TQM) implementation elements and five TQM outcome measures using MANCOVA procedure. Analyses resulted in distinct sets of firms reflecting the impact of the ISO-JIT orientation on its TQM implementation and TQM outcomes. Results support the contingency view that a firm's ability to implement effective TQM practices is enhanced: 1) marginally by ISO 9000 efforts; 2) significantly by JIT implementation; and 3) most by conjoint ISO-JIT efforts (though not much more significantly than JIT implementation alone). These insights have significant practical implications for firms investing in JIT implementation, ISO 9000 certification, and TQM implementation. Interestingly, our study conducted in mid-1990s and its empirical findings lend a strong support for the recent transformation of the original ISO 9000 requirements into the current ISO 9001:2000 framework.