SAUDI COMPANIES ATTITUDE TOWARD ISO 9000 QUALITY STANDARDS: AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION

A sample consisting of senior executives of 61 companiues in Saudi Arabia was obtained to examine the nature of their attitudes toward ISO 9000 quality standards. Results indicate that those companies that are highly and positively inclined toward ISO 9000 standards are mostly manufacturing firms with an ownership status of joint ventures or partnerships, have a large number of employees and market products in both domestic and foreign markets. The personnel of these companies have been persuaded and educated about ISO 9000 standards through direct contact and personal involvement. Most of these have traced overall quality improvement, an d improved flow of activities and coordination to the influence of ISO 9000 standards. Service and trading sectors and small companies in Saudi Arabia seem less concerned about ISO 9000 standards.