ISO 9001 internal decertification motivations: exploring barriers and benefits of certification as withdrawal antecedents

Abstract

Thousands of companies worldwide lose their ISO 9001 certification every year. Considering the relevance that this decertification phenomenon has achieved, this study examines the internal motivations for decertification and explores the relationships between motivations and firm’s previous certification barriers and benefits. To achieve this purpose, the study develops a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) from the literature and estimates the model based on data collected from a sample of 248 certified organisations. Results reveal that the main antecedents of internal decertification motivations are external factors, namely external decertification motivations and external certification barriers. External barriers do not disappear after certification and have a stronger influence on motivations than (lack of) certification benefits. Internal and external benefits have a small effect on motivations, and internal barriers have no significant effect. In addition, the relationship between external barriers and internal decertification motivations is mediated by external motivations. Similarly, the relation between external benefits and internal motivations is mediated by internal benefits. Currently, there are no other studies on the relationship between internal and external decertification motivations, nor studies identifying the antecedents of both motivations. Thus, the research findings constitute novel contributions to the literature and suggest relevant implications for practice.

Keywords:

• Barriers
• benefits
• cancellation
• decertification
• ISO 9000
• maintenance
• motivations
• obstacles
• PLS-SEM
• quality
• revocation
• withdrawal

Acknowledgments

The authors are pleased to acknowledge the participation of all survey respondents. The authors are also grateful for the insightful comments from two anonymous reviewers, the editor, and our colleagues, at Universidade do Algarve, Manuela M. Silva, Patricia S.L.G.S. Pinto and Rúben M.T. Peixinho.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This paper is financed by National Funds of the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project UIDB/04007/2020.

Notes on contributors

Carlos J. F. Cândido

Carlos J. F. Cândido holds a PhD in Management from Sheffield Hallam University. He is currently Assistant Professor at the University of Algarve, a member of CEFAGE-UAlg research centre, and the Director of the MSc in Management, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. He has published several articles on business strategy and quality management in international peer-reviewed journals. He is a member of the editorial review board of the Journal of Operations Management and has reviewed extensively for more than twenty international scientific journals.

Luís M. F. R. Ferreira

Luís M. F. R. Ferreira is a Food Engineer with a Post-Graduation in workplace safety and hygiene, and a MSc in Management. He is currently the Director of Quality and Production at a medium sized food manufacturing company in Portugal and has fifteen years of experience working as a Quality Manager and Production Manager in companies in the food industry in this country. He has also recently embraced a challenge as a business entrepreneur.