The effects of ISO 9001 quality management system on innovation and management capacities in the Malaysian furniture sector.

• Main Authors: Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran, Yoon, C. Y., Ioras, Florin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Transilvania University Press, Brasov, Romania 2013
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/29143/1/The%20effects%20of%20ISO%209001%20quality%20management%20system%20on%20innovation%20and%20management%20capacities%20in%20the%20Malaysian%20furniture%20sector.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/29143/; http://webbut.unitbv.ro/bulletin/Series%20II/Contents_II_1.html
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Although the ISO 9001 quality management system is often perceived to be a marketing tool within the manufacturing industry, its implications on the innovation and management capacities of the furniture industry remain unknown. A survey of furniture manufacturers in Malaysia revealed that lack of innovation and ineffective management were among the main problems faced within the industry. Using a structured questionnaire, a survey of the ISO-certified manufacturers revealed that the ISO 9001 quality management system has a positive correlation on process innovation but not on product innovation. Therefore, ISO-certification would be beneficial for productivity improvement and identifying cost-cutting measures in furniture manufacturing enterprises. On the other hand, ISO-certification has a significant influence on the management of furniture enterprises, especially with regards to systematic decision-making and boosting the level of professionalism. Therefore, ISO-certification may be a useful tool to enhance the management competency and also improve the productivity within the furniture manufacturing sector.