An evaluation of ISO 9000 initiatives in Indian industry for enhanced manufacturing performance

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the contributions of ISO 9000 initiatives towards improving manufacturing performance in the Indian manufacturing industry. Design/methodology/approach - In this study, 96 manufacturing organizations have been extensively surveyed, to ascertain contributions made by ISO 9000 initiatives in the Indian manufacturing industries towards realizing manufacturing performance improvements. The correlations between various ISO 9000 implementation issues and manufacturing performance improvements have been evaluated and validated by employing various statistical tools. Findings - The research focuses on the significant contributions of ISO 9000 implementation success factors like top management contributions, continuous improvement practices and ISO 9000 implementation initiatives, towards affecting improvements in manufacturing performance in the Indian industry. The inter‐relationships between various ISO 9000 implementation success factors with the manufacturing performance improvement parameters have been evaluated, to efficiently manage the ISO 9000 implementation program to realize organizational objectives of growth and sustainability. Research limitations/implications - The study establishes that focused ISO 9000 implementation over a reasonable time period can strategically contribute towards realization of significant manufacturing performance enhancements. Practical implications - The study stresses the need for improving the coordination between manufacturing function and other organizational quality improvement initiatives in the organizations, to establish manufacturing as a competitive strategy for meeting the challenges of highly competitive environments. Social implications - The findings suggest that effective ISO 9000 initiatives can significantly contribute towards realization of strategic manufacturing performance improvements for competing in the highly dynamic global marketplace. These interrelationships can be used to understand the effect of various ISO 9000 success factors towards realization of organization objectives of growth and sustainability. Originality/value - The study highlights the strong potential of ISO 9000 implementation initiatives in affecting organizational performance improvements. The achievements of Indian manufacturing organizations through proactive ISO 9000 initiatives have been evaluated and critical ISO 9000 success factors identified for enhancing the effectiveness of ISO 9000 implementation programs in the Indian context.