Is implementing multiple management system standards a hindrance to innovation?

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of whether multiple management system standards (MSSs) such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 hinder innovation processes. Following a review of the relevant literature, an empirical study of 249 Spanish organisations registered to both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 is presented. The principal finding of a previous study [Castillo, S.M., Casadesus, M., Karapetrovic, S., Heras, I., & Martin, I. (2008). Do standardized management systems hinder innovation processes, in Proceedings of the 2nd International Quality Conference – Quality Festival 2008, Kragujevac, Serbia (also appeared in the International Journal of Quality Research, 2(2), 121–127] is a decrease in the importance attached to the statement that MSSs hinder innovation as more of these standards are considered for implementation in the future. The model presented in this paper includes data from organisations that have not just implemented, but have also integrated their standardised management systems (MSs). This model investigates the effects of specific motivators and difficulties of implementing multiple MSSs on the responses of organisations to the statement that MSSs are seen as a barrier to innovation. The model also examines the effect of MSSs as a barrier to innovation on the intention of these organisations to implement MSSs in the future. Results show significant influence for the variables studied.

Keywords:

• management system standards
• innovation processes
• standardised management systems
• hindering innovation
• quality management

Acknowledgements

This study is part of a larger research project entitled ‘The integrated management system (IMS) in Spanish companies’ (SEJ2006-00682/ECON) financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology within the aid programme for R+D projects.