ISO 9000: the system emerging from the vicious circle of compliance

Since they were introduced internationally in 1987, ISO 9000 standards have been criticized for their lack of flexibility, emphasis on bureaucracy and paperwork, deficiency in quality improvement, usefulness of application in small businesses and service organizations, confusing terminology and structure. As the standards are about to enter the new millennium in a revised format, challenges are still many. This paper attempts to look at some of the concerns and misconceptions about the ISO 9000 series, explain their inter‐relationships and to provide at least a partial answer to the ever‐lingering question: “Does ISO 9000 have a future?”