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Article
Publication date: 5 February 2018

Marc Llonch, Merce Bernardo and Pilar Presas

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the simultaneous implementation of an integrated management system (IMS) in a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) and its impact on…

717

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the simultaneous implementation of an integrated management system (IMS) in a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) and its impact on costs.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a case study, the paper presents and analyzes the implementation of the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 management system (MS) standards. The organization analyzed is an SME of the heating and air conditioning sector that had no MSs implemented (common in the sector) and decided to implement an IMS based on both function-specific MS standards (MSSs) and also achieving the separated certification. The analysis of expected and real costs is also presented.

Findings

The results show that a simultaneous integration is possible and the cost analysis evidences the improvement of the organization’s efficiency. The certificates for both MSSs were also achieved. These findings help in confirming theoretical statement posed in the literature of the integration of MSs: integration strategy, methodology and level. The organization values this integrated implementation as very positive internally and externally, as this is one of the first organizations of the sector implementing and integrating the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Originality/value

Although studies analyzing empirically the integration of MSs have been widely published in recent years, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first papers analyzing the implementation of an IMS directly and analyzing its costs. In addition, this paper provides evidence that those organizations implementing integration later than others, can learn from the beginners’ experience.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

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Article
Publication date: 29 November 2018

Mónica Cabecinhas, Pedro Domingues, Paulo Sampaio, Merce Bernardo, Fiorenzo Franceschini, Maurizio Galetto, Maria Gianni, Katerina Gotzamani, Luca Mastrogiacomo and Alfonso Hernandez-Vivanco

The purpose of this paper is to dissect the diffusion of the number of organizations that implemented multiple management systems (MSs), considering the International Organization…

422

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to dissect the diffusion of the number of organizations that implemented multiple management systems (MSs), considering the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards (quality, environment and safety) in the South European countries: Italy, Portugal and Spain. In addition, based on the data collected, forecasting models were developed to assess at which extent the multiple certifications are expected to occur in each studied country.

Design/methodology/approach

Data concerning the evolution of the amount of multiple MSs in Italy, Portugal and Spain were collected for the period between 1999 and 2015. The behavior of the evolution of the number of MSs over the years was studied adopting both the Gompertz and the Logistic models. The results obtained with these two models were compared and analyzed to provide a forecast for the next years.

Findings

The diffusion throughout the years of the number of MSs presents an S-shaped behavior. The evolution of the amount of MSs in countries with a lower saturation level are properly fitted by the Gompertz model whereas the Logistic model fits more accurately when considering countries with a larger saturation level.

Research limitations/implications

The data related to the early years are not available in some of the countries. To overcome this shortcoming missing data were extrapolated from the data set provided by the annual ISO survey. Additionally, the integration level attained by each company was not assessed and, on this regard and in the scope of this paper, an integrated management system is understood as implemented when organizations have multiple MSs implemented.

Practical implications

The results provide a cross-sectional portrayal of the diffusion of MSs certifications in the South European countries and enable a forecast for the trend in the next years.

Originality/value

This study aims for the first time, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to analyze the diffusion of multiple MSs throughout the years.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 35 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Merce Bernardo, Raúl Escalante, Joan Roca and Anna Arbussà

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the existing management system standards in the gastronomy sector.

1139

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the existing management system standards in the gastronomy sector.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of secondary data, the most implemented management system standards within this sector are analyzed, namely, the ISO 9001 focusing on the sector of “hotels and restaurants,” the ISO 22000, the “Q” Spanish tourism-specific standard, and the Michelin stars system.

Findings

The results, although descriptive, show the differences among them. Regarding the content, the main difference between the documented management system standards and the Michelin stars system is in the evaluation and certification process, as it is known and planned in the former group but not in the latter. The scope is also different, as the former group refers mainly to the process and the latter to results. The diffusion results confirm the increase in sectoral management system standards.

Originality/value

Although studies analyzing the importance of sectoral standards have been published, this study is one of the first focusing on four different management system standards in the gastronomy sector. Implications for both practitioners and academia are also discussed.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

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Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Luc Honore Petnji Yaya, Frederic Marimon, Josep Llach, Merce Bernardo and Marti Casadesus

The purpose of this paper is to identifying, discussing and analyzing the existing education and training programs related to quality management system (QMS) in Spain.

1068

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identifying, discussing and analyzing the existing education and training programs related to quality management system (QMS) in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach

Exhaustive search of the education system database was used to map the multifaceted of Spanish education system and professional training in addition to their relationships with the labor market. Thereafter, a thorough scan of the existing training related to management system standards was used to classify them into different subgroups as well as identifying possible education and the professional trainings related to QMS.

Findings

The overall results showed that general education in Spain and in particular related to QMS can be classified into four different groups including: official university, unofficial university, official non-university and unofficial non-university. Moreover, this study observed that the general concern about the employment and earnings in Spain has led the local, autonomous communities and national government to launch specific measures designed to both continue to increase the quality of the workforce with the QMS backgrounds and to ease the difficulties encountered when entering the labor market.

Originality/value

This study is the first to analyze and map the multifaceted character of Spanish education system and professional training related to QMS. The findings of this study may be useful for organizations trying to evaluate their QMS efforts, thus, engage their people in order to face the competitive challenges that lie ahead.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 12 September 2016

Alfonso Hernandez-Vivanco, Merce Bernardo and Claudio Cruz-Cázares

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of the level of integration of management systems (IMS) over product and process innovation capabilities (IC), by considering…

1031

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of the level of integration of management systems (IMS) over product and process innovation capabilities (IC), by considering the role of open innovation (OI) activities as a moderating effect of those relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal empirical study was performed on an existing Spanish panel database that contains information related to innovation, where 9,765 companies were selected for the panel analysis. A logit approach with random effects was considered.

Findings

The level of IMS positively influences process and product IC. Moreover, external cooperation, and using it to a high extent not only positively moderates the effects of the level of IMS over process IC, but also of process over product IC, where it becomes indispensable for its effect to be positive. Finally, investing in external knowledge is a positive moderator of the effects of the level of IMS over both: process and product IC.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies on empirically finding evidence of the impact of the level of IMS on process and product IC, and of the moderating effect of performing OI activities in order to achieve higher process and product IC through the IMS.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 116 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

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Article
Publication date: 17 September 2019

Pilar Marques, Merce Bernardo, Pilar Presas and Alexandra Simon

Using a theoretical and empirical focus on the power stakeholders exert, the purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the factors that influence the…

2070

Abstract

Purpose

Using a theoretical and empirical focus on the power stakeholders exert, the purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the factors that influence the subsidiaries of multinationals’ participation in corporate social responsibility (CSR) under the pressures (expectations and demands) their complex system of internal and external stakeholders’ places upon them.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an in-depth case study, the relationship a local subsidiary in the food and beverage industry has with its stakeholders as regards CSR is analyzed.

Findings

The findings illustrate three main aspects: how the local company is affected by and how it affects its stakeholders (an example of the multidirectionality of power and influence); the direct and indirect practices that are adopted to address challenges; and the importance of the role the local subsidiary plays as an implementer and diffuser of its parent organization’s responsible practices across the industry value chain.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, the focus is on analyzing the power stakeholders have in the context of multinational companies that has not been applied before, and the outcome of using this approach is that the authors have uncovered gaps in the literature for future research.

Details

EuroMed Journal of Business, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1450-2194

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Article
Publication date: 4 October 2011

Merce Bernardo, Marti Casadesus, Stanislav Karapetrovic and Iñaki Heras

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the application and the level of integration of internal and external audits in organizations that are registered to multiple management…

1423

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the application and the level of integration of internal and external audits in organizations that are registered to multiple management system standards.

Design/methodology/approach

Using descriptive analyses, this work examines the manner in which organizations, categorized in a previous study with respect to the degree of integration of their standardized management systems (MSs), apply and integrate the related MS audits. The sample included 435 Spanish organizations registered to ISO 9001: 2000 and ISO 14001: 2004 at the minimum.

Findings

It was found that organizations that exhibited a higher level of integration of their standardized MSs also demonstrated more highly‐integrated audits. In addition, the level of integration was generally higher for internal compared with the external audits.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation was related to the survey responses, because they were asked and obtained from the organizations' managers only, and not from the registrars or other external audit bodies.

Originality/value

The study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the usage of auditing systems in organizations, in particular the level of integration of internal and external MS audits relative to the integration of the corresponding MSs.

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Article
Publication date: 13 August 2024

Panos T. Chountalas and Athanasios G. Lagodimos

Significant interest in Integrated Management Systems (IMS), as a key area within ISO-related Management System Standards (MSS) literature, has been evident from both academia and…

123

Abstract

Purpose

Significant interest in Integrated Management Systems (IMS), as a key area within ISO-related Management System Standards (MSS) literature, has been evident from both academia and industry over the past three decades. This study aims to map the evolution and current state of IMS research and propose possible directions for future studies.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive content and bibliometric analysis of 846 documents from the Scopus database across the period 1995 to 2023 was conducted. This included performance analysis to track publication trends and identify key contributors, and content analysis to specify dominant research methodologies and the MSS most commonly integrated. Furthermore, science mapping techniques—such as co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and bibliographic coupling—were utilized to outline the collaborative networks and the conceptual and intellectual structure of the field.

Findings

The study identifies three principal IMS research themes: the practical implementation of IMS, their role in promoting sustainability and social responsibility, and their impact on continuous performance improvement. It also highlights the field’s evolution and key research constituents—including influential works, prolific authors, leading academic institutions and countries, and top publishing journals. It further reveals that IMS research exhibits strong collaboration across authors and countries, and a rich methodological plurality, notably with a marked increase in empirical surveys in recent years. Additionally, it identifies the most frequently referenced MSS for integration, prominently featuring ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001/OHSAS 18001.

Originality/value

This study is original in its application of a dual analytical approach—bibliometric and content analysis—to provide a holistic overview of IMS research. It offers new insights into the integration of diverse MSS and proposes several promising paths for future research. Among the most prominent are standardizing IMS fundamental specifications, conducting more empirical research with advanced methods to evaluate the effects of MSS integration, providing practical support for organizations in IMS implementation through tailored methodologies and tools, and exploring the potential of Industry 4.0 and 5.0 technologies to advance IMS practices.

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Article
Publication date: 17 February 2012

Merce Bernardo, Marti Casadesus, Stanislav Karapetrovic and Iñaki Heras

The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether the order or the strategy of management system standards (MSSs) implementation in an organization determines the level of…

1976

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether the order or the strategy of management system standards (MSSs) implementation in an organization determines the level of integration of its standardized MSSs.

Design/methodology/approach

Groups of organizations that follow different implementation sequences have been obtained descriptively using a sample of 435 Spanish organizations, registered to two MSSs (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001) at the minimum. Differences with respect to the size of the organizations are also studied.

Findings

The results obtained show six different groups of organizations that follow different sequences of implementation and that have different levels of integration of their MSSs. Among the more interesting findings, organizations that had implemented quality and environmental MSSs simultaneously and have 50 employees or less achieve higher levels of integration compared to other organizations in the sample.

Originality/value

The paper analyses those sequences of management systems implementation that allow organizations to achieve higher levels of integration and presents a possible pattern for the companies initiating the integration process.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

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Article
Publication date: 8 April 2014

Maria Del Mar Alonso-Almeida, Merce Bernardo, Josep Llach and Frederic Marimon

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test an e-quality model for leisure products purchased online. Two dimensions are considered in order to configure the scale…

2013

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test an e-quality model for leisure products purchased online. Two dimensions are considered in order to configure the scale: functional quality and hedonic quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a survey conducted on a sample of 1,109 online customers who had bought travel leisure products, the model and hypotheses were validated using structural equation modeling analysis.

Findings

The results reveal that both quality dimensions, through an e-quality second order dimension, are critical to obtaining loyalty through perceived value. In terms of functional quality, however, privacy is not significant for consumers because security programs have improved. Moreover, the e-quality – perceived value – loyalty service chain has been confirmed. In addition, a partial mediating effect of perceived value between e-quality and loyalty has been detected.

Practical implications

e-Service managers must be aware of the importance of hedonic quality in seeking to attract and retain customers on their web sites. On the other hand, it has to be considered not only direct effects for evaluating customer loyalty, but also the mediator effect of perceived value is needed.

Originality/value

From now on, the paper forecasts that “hedonics” will be present in future scales designed to assess e-quality, although what is really valued as important is still functional quality.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 114 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

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