This paper describes the motivating factors of a large and a small sized research firm in becoming ISO 9000 certified. It provides a short introduction of the basic aim, requirements and misunderstandings about the ISO 9000 standard. Different ways of implementation of such a system are illustrated by the example of Infratest Burke. But what are the benefits of an ISO 9000 certification? Is it really worthwhile to spend a lot of money just to become certified? Meanwhile, the quality systems of both companies have been implemented for some years. The authors illustrate and discuss the experience they have made with their ISO 9000 quality system after certification. The paper gives an insight into different impacts of the quality system on the internal organization and the workflow. These examples show how ISO 9000 assists a continuous improvement and optimization process. They demonstrate that the ISO 9000 standard can be an important vehicle for a quality focused management.
BS 5750 in the UK is a quality assurance system creating a set of procedures designed to document and improve practices to maximise the quality of a company's output. In the UK it was initially conceived for manufacturing industry, but in the last two or more years its relevance to service industries such as market research has been perceived, and a number of market research agencies have achieved BS 5750 accreditation. FDS was one of the first of these, and our purpose in presenting this paper is to share that experience from the initial concept through the process of gaining accreditation to our experience of it in practice. BS 5750 and its international equivalent, ISO 9000 is here to stay; increasingly its possession is going to be a necessary qualification for supplier consideration. BS 5750 when positively implemented is an indication of a commitment to a management philosophy of Total Quality Management and a necessary step to that goal. BS 5750 is not a system conceived externally and imposed on a company's operation. It is created by the company itself in the light of the company's current operating practices, and helps the company to achieve and maintain best practice. Achieving BS 5750 is an arduous and lengthy process. It is not to be undertaken lightly and successful implementation requires the commitment of everyone in the company, both in the process of acquiring it and of maintaining it once accredited. This is how FDS did it.