An empirical analysis of management attitudes towards ISO 9001:2000 in Egypt

ISO certification is expected to help organisations to enhance quality and efficiency, improve communications, achieve competitive advantage and an increase in market share, reduce costs and achieve a higher stock price. This paper presents the results of a study to identify management attitudes towards ISO 9001:2000. To realise this goal, a sample consisting of 38 managing directors (MD) in Egypt was obtained. Results indicated that Egyptian organisations have a high level of understanding of the purpose of ISO certification. The main motivators behind the implementation of certified quality system in Egypt were to improve the efficiency of the quality system, and to cope with pressures from competitors/foreign partners. The principal perceived benefits of ISO 9001: 2000 for Egyptian organisations include improved documentation, improved efficiency of the quality system and more effective supplier selection.