ISO 9000 adoption in Tunisia: experiences of certified companies

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to highlight the motivations, the benefits and the barriers of ISO 9000 certification in Tunisia. The study focuses on Tunisian ISO 9000 certified companies. From our research, we conclude that Tunisian companies are more driven to seek ISO 9000 certification by external circumstances such as the suppliers’ relationships improvement and the market shares increase. Furthermore, the implementation results mostly in the increase of internal benefits such as reducing conflicts, increasing motivation and communication among the employees. The findings also outline that firms are hindered by internal environment and organisational aspects. However, the internal barriers related to the poor communication between the partners, the lack of managers’ training, the resistance to change and the lack of leaders’ commitment have the most significant role in impeding the progress.

Keywords:

• total quality management
• quality management systems
• ISO 9000
• certification