Eight quality management principles

ISO 9000 is based on eight quality management principles:

• Customer focus, resulting in customer requirements being met and in efforts to exceed those requirements;
• Leadership, aiming to create an internal environment in which people are fully involved;
• Involvement of people, who are the essence of an organization;
• Process approach, bringing about improved efficiency in obtaining the desired results;
• System approach to management, leading to improved effectiveness and efficiency through the identification, understanding and management of interrelated processes;
• Continual improvement, which becomes a permanent objective of the organization;
• Factual approach to decision-making, based on an analysis of data and information; and
• Mutually beneficial supplier relationships, derived from an understanding of their interdependence.