ISOTRIZ: an approach to support SMEs in implementing ISO 9001:2015 using the TRIZ methodology

Abstract

Quality and innovation are increasingly closer due to the pressures faced by organisations in the management of operational excellence. Currently, companies around the world are facing the consequences of the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In the context of SMEs, investments in quality and innovation contribute to increased productivity and competitive capacity. One of the factors to increase the competitive capacity of SMEs is to encourage quality and compliance certification through the ISO 9001. SME managers in general have difficulty with the certification process because there are several barriers faced during this process. Considering the importance of SMEs to the economy, this paper proposes an approach to implement the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 standard in SMEs using the TRIZ methodology. This research is exploratory and qualitative. A case study was carried out in two Brazilian enterprises. As a result, the main critical factors of ISO 9001:2015 and the most appropriate inventive principles to assist in the implementation of these critical factors are presented. This study is innovative for the literature and provides important conclusions for SME managers in the implementation of ISO 9001:2015 requirements.

Keywords:

• SME
• quality
• ISO 9001:2015
• innovation
• TRIZ

Acknowledgements

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) Finance Code 001, the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and the Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco (FACEPE).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Pernambuco as [grant number: 27175519.5.0000.5208].

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) Finance Code 001, the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and the Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco (FACEPE).