Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam

The ISO 9001 quality system is being advocated as a management tool to boost the performance of wooden furniture manufacturers in the South East Asian region. A study was therefore conducted to evaluate the status and challenges of the ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufact...

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Main Authors: Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran, Ioras, Florin
Format: Article
Published: Maney Publishing 2014
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author Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran
Ioras, Florin
author_facet Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran
Ioras, Florin
author_sort Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran
collection UPM
description The ISO 9001 quality system is being advocated as a management tool to boost the performance of wooden furniture manufacturers in the South East Asian region. A study was therefore conducted to evaluate the status and challenges of the ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam. The data were compiled through direct-interviews of 100 wooden furniture manufacturers (of which 25 were ISO 9001 certified companies) using a structured questionnaire, which had four parts. The results found that ISO 9001 adoption was relatively low among furniture manufacturers due to its high implementation cost and lack of market demand, although the ISO 9001 certified companies were much more productive than their non-certified counterparts. It was also apparent that the certified furniture manufacturers were focused on producing quality furniture cost effectively, derived primarily from their lower degree of operational inefficiencies. Nevertheless, the demand for ISO certification is market-specific, as Japanese, Korean, European and Middle Eastern furniture buyers show preferences for dealing with certified companies. Therefore, the benefits of ISO 9001 quality system through greater market access and increased productivity in the mills must become more apparent, before significant adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers can be realised.
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spelling upm.eprints-354692016-01-11T02:51:53Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35469/ Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran Ioras, Florin The ISO 9001 quality system is being advocated as a management tool to boost the performance of wooden furniture manufacturers in the South East Asian region. A study was therefore conducted to evaluate the status and challenges of the ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam. The data were compiled through direct-interviews of 100 wooden furniture manufacturers (of which 25 were ISO 9001 certified companies) using a structured questionnaire, which had four parts. The results found that ISO 9001 adoption was relatively low among furniture manufacturers due to its high implementation cost and lack of market demand, although the ISO 9001 certified companies were much more productive than their non-certified counterparts. It was also apparent that the certified furniture manufacturers were focused on producing quality furniture cost effectively, derived primarily from their lower degree of operational inefficiencies. Nevertheless, the demand for ISO certification is market-specific, as Japanese, Korean, European and Middle Eastern furniture buyers show preferences for dealing with certified companies. Therefore, the benefits of ISO 9001 quality system through greater market access and increased productivity in the mills must become more apparent, before significant adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers can be realised. Maney Publishing 2014-11 Article PeerReviewed Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran and Ioras, Florin (2014) Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam. International Wood Products Journal, 5 (4). pp. 186-191. ISSN 2042-6445; ESSN: 2042-6453 http://www.maneyonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/2042645314Y.0000000063 10.1179/2042645314Y.0000000063
spellingShingle Ratnasingam, Jegatheswaran
Ioras, Florin
Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam
title Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam
title_full Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam
title_fullStr Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam
title_full_unstemmed Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam
title_short Status and challenges of ISO 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia and Vietnam
title_sort status and challenges of iso 9001 quality system adoption among wooden furniture manufacturers in malaysia and vietnam
work_keys_str_mv AT ratnasingamjegatheswaran statusandchallengesofiso9001qualitysystemadoptionamongwoodenfurnituremanufacturersinmalaysiaandvietnam
AT iorasflorin statusandchallengesofiso9001qualitysystemadoptionamongwoodenfurnituremanufacturersinmalaysiaandvietnam