Implementation Of ISO 9000 Standards
Sequential Approach A Must

By Kulprasad S. Sapkota

FOR the developing countries like Nepal where developmental programmes cannot take momentum without international assistance, compliance with international practices is inevitable. In this regard the role played by International Monetary Fund and the World Bank is well known. One more international agency has come in the forefront: the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

National Strategy

In this era of global market economy, every country’s theme and strategy seem to be export promotion and international trade. Therefore, WTO is going to exert tremendous impact on any country’s economic and developmental activities.Non-entry to WTO system means least chances for international developmental funds and assistance, and at the same time difficult entry of national products to the international market. Therefore, there seems to be no option but to join the WTO system. Without technical competence managerial efficiency and overall coordinated effort, it will not be possible to attain entry status to WTO system.

Therefore, for attaining the WTO entry status, and thereby getting maximum benefits out of it, each and every economic activity centre should have the capacity to improve product and service quality, and, at the same time provisions for fulfilling the necessary conformity assessment criteria, Therefore, for attaining early positive result, not only economic activity centres and assessment and monitoring agencies but also national policy formulating and planning bodies need to be equally equipped with the knowledge of the concepts and necessary provisions. Early results will be possible only when concerted approach is ensured.

In this regard, Nepal is geared towards the entry to WTO system very soon. One of the major hurdles to enter the WTO system is dealing with TBT (Technical Barrier to Trade). This demands harmonisation of national standardisation and conformity assessment activities with international practices.

Among the many provisions, adoption and effective implementation of few international standards and associated conformity assessment may simply this uphill task. Among those international standards are ISO 9000 series of standards dealing with quality management system and ISO 14000 series of standards dealing with environmental management system. Both of those are management standards.

Nepal is an active and enthusiastic member of the United Nations, and has already signed and become party to various international legally binding instruments like treaties, conventions and protocols which give maximum emphasis on "sustainable development". Every sustainable developmental activity incorporates environmental component in one or the other way. Therefore, both of the above mentioned international standards series have distinct role in shaping VP and simplifying international trade.

The above mentioned international standards series provide guidelines for management regarding organisational activities including management responsibility; quality system: contract review; design control; document control, purchase procedure; control of customer supplied products; product identification and traceability. Others are process control; inspection and testing: control of inspection, measuring and test equipments; inspection and test status, control of non-conforming products; corrective and preventive action, handling, storage and packaging, preservation and delivery; control of quality records, internal quality audit, training; servicing and use of statistical techniques. Organisations have to plan and implement those applicable elements with the proof of actions taken.

With regard to implementation of ISO 9000 series and ISO 14000 series international standards it may not be so complicated as assumed in the market place. From the logical point of view also for any manufacturing industry raw materials, and products as well as methods and machineries may remain the same as before. The same is true with service-sector industries also. The only requirement is what the organisation has to say what is it going to do and secondly, fulfilling the commitments. Finally, proving the same in the form of documented evidences. Thus, documentation comes out to be virtually an additional distinct job for an organisation, otherwise other activities remain more or less the same as before.

For the implementation of quality management and environment management system sequential approach is highly essential. With regards to sequential steps commitment from the top management, establishment of steering committee and task force, appointment of consultant, launching of awareness programmes providing trainings; conducting initial status survey and gap analysis, charting out an action plan, developing documents, implementation of documented procedure and systems; internal quality audit, compliance audit and certification and registration are some of the well-practiced sequential steps. Adherence to these sequential steps may help speedy installation and implementation of the systems.

As far as conformity assessment is concerned it will be worthwhile to consider in terms of long term sustainability and economy. So far nearly half a dozen of Nepalese industries have achieved conformity assessment in the form of ISO 9002 certification and registration by utilising and hiring costly foreign expertise. To start with it may be okay for a few. But when we consider from the long term sustainability, cost-effectiveness and dollar spending point of view endless hiring of costly foreign expertise may not be sustainable solution at all.

Need

Therefore, it has become an urgent need to develop an equivalent national infrastructure to provide needed technical and managerial services, and at the same time getting the conformity assessed, that is , recognised, valid and authentic at the global level. In simple, it can be said that the strengthening of national quality management and environmental management system certification bodies is a must. As per international practices, capacity building of national standard body is the pressing need of the hour.

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