Abstract:

"Industrial" or "business" norms historically started with the manufacturing industry. Quite later, service industry got involved. And only rather recently, ISO 9000 and BS 5750 did arrive on our doorsteps. Progress in this area might have developed much faster in the UK and the United States. I doubt if Quality Standards is at the top of most European countries' agenda. In Germany we have just started the discussion. We might have a different tradition and a different environment there, and we might arrive at different conclusions. However, the feelings about the introduction of ISO 9000 seem to be the same all over Europe: They are mixed. There are well-founded arguments against the 'standard procedures' as well as simple misunderstandings.