ISO 9001:2008 for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Second Edition

Robitaille - vice-chair of U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 176, the committee responsible for updating the ISO 9000 family of standards - takes readers into a seldom-discussed but needed area of the ISO 9001 standard: applying it to small and medium-sized businesses. This handbook was developed to help small and medium-sized organizations better understand ISO 9001:2008. It is intended to facilitate implementation and improvement. The establishment, implementation, and maintenance of an ISO 9001 compliant quality management system (QMS) should allow the organization to experience multiple benefits beyond the achievement of certification. Organizations should also see improvements in the quality of products, customer satisfaction, and process effectiveness all of which ultimately have a positive impact on the bottom line. For those readers whose organizations have already established a QMS, this handbook will serve to reinforce good practices and lead to a better understanding of the intent and value of some of the requirements of ISO 9001. Since this handbook is especially focused on small and medium-sized organizations, the examples provided will have greater applicability and will enhance comprehension, again resulting in increased value. Utilizing this handbook should allow you to develop or rejuvenate your QMS so that it is a benefit to both you and your customer.