An Analysis of ISO 9000's Applicability to Worldwide Warehouse Quality Assurance
Abstract
This study examines the applicability of ISO 9000, a world-wide quality standard, to the quality assurance procedures being built into a new Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. This new program, the Worldwide Warehouse, is an Air Force Security Assistance Center (AFSAC) attempt to assist FMS customers in reducing excess materiel inventories. Areas of investigation include ISO 9000's international acceptance, its ability to ensure quality products, and a case study of SHARE, a NATO initiative which employs ISO 9000 in quality assurance and is dramatically similar to the Worldwide Warehouse. The researchers conduct an exploratory study using a literature review and personal interviews with individuals possessing special insight in the subject areas. It is concluded that achieving ISO 9000 certification is very difficult, maybe even impossible for some Worldwide Warehouse customers. This difficulty often results in years of effort. Going further, the fact that the benefits to be gained by the Worldwide Warehouse are minimal even if successful implementation were achieved, leads to the conclusion that the value added does not justify ISO 9000 as the standard for Worldwide Warehouse quality assurance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA285300
Entities
People
- Anthony T. Dyess
- Henry E. Stish
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology