ISO 9001 certification and decertification

Firm strategies to optimize quality management systems

n a highly competitive business market, certifications and a known quality standard

I can be the deciding factor in consumers choosing which firms to align with.
Certifications such as ISO 9001 can bring about many benefits, but can also be
detrimental to a firm if it is incompatible with the existing quality management organization.
In the article by Cândido, the author examines the motivations behind adopting ISO 9001
and why firms decide to recertify or decertify.

ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is a quality management system that identifies gaps, assists in the development of
new products, aligns resources, optimizes operations, and provides tangible results. As such,
ISO 9001 can significantly impact the internal firm (human resources, department collaboration,
workplace culture) and the external market (collaboration with other firms, industry positions,
competitive edges). Reducing transaction costs and increasing firm legitimacy are also
internationally recognized benefits. For some firms, certain benefits create more appeal than
others, and there are various reasons why a firm chooses to adopt ISO 9001. ISO 9001 falls into
a cycle of adoption, maintenance, and recertification or decertification. As such, firms have
various reasons to adopt and retain the management system.

ISO 9001 certification motivations

Internal and external motivations to certify with ISO 9001 can significantly impact the longevity
and success of firms that adopt it. Internal motivations can range from efficiency, productivity,
and quality targets to conformity within the industry and creating a competitive edge. External
motivations include increasing customer satisfaction, gaining customer loyalty, improving the
firm reputation and image, a strong position in the market, and legitimacy.
These motivations are not solidified and can change; while internal motivations changing to
external ones is not likely, a firm can change from external motivations to internal ones. Cândido
found that internally motivated firms are more likely to succeed in adapting ISO 9001 as
implementing adequate maintenance initiatives align with the motivations of the firm. An externally
motivated firm is more likely to adopt the most basic of structures to maintain ISO 9001, the
minimum required to pass the audits the certification requires. With these different motivations,
these firms will decide after a period of time whether to continue with ISO 9001 or decertify.

9001 Recertification/decertification motivations

There are many reasons a firm may decide to decertify. Firms may desire, or be forced, to change
to a different quality management system. Firms may also need to save money and resources and
find the certification expendable as they do not expect further benefit from continuation. Firms may
also expect to fail, or already have failed, due to insufficient standardization maintenance
initiatives. Finally, it may no longer provide a competitive edge for the firm.

PAGE 16 j STRATEGIC DIRECTION j VOL. 40 NO. 3 2024, pp. 16-17, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543 DOI 10.1108/SD-02-2024-0021
 ISO 9001 can significantly impact the internal firm and the
external market.

However, Cândido finds that even after decertification, firms that were internally motivated
to adopt ISO 9001 may continue to benefit due to the internal structure changes the system
required. An externally motivated firm will only lose external benefits if consumers continue
to demand ISO 9001; if consumers stop demanding certification, the firm loses very little –
their internal benefit may be retained or increase if ISO 9001 was implemented well.
Different contexts cause different organizations to adopt ISO 9001 with other strategies.
These firms can decide to continue the certification or decertify, after which some firms will
still benefit from the structural changes the quality management system brought about.

Implications
The practical undertakings of this investigation have several key implications:
䊏 Managers should examine their motivations for adopting ISO 9001 and find how best to
optimize the system for internal or external benefit.
䊏 Managers should ensure internal structural change is made to adopt ISO 9001 best, so
firms can continue to benefit even after decertification.
䊏 Firms should examine their external motivations to adopt ISO 9001, and consider the
ramifications from consumers if decertification is decided, to ensure it won’t
significantly affect the firm.
䊏 Managers should become well-informed on ISO 9001 to uphold the system internally
and ensure employees are working together to achieve optimization.

Conclusion
ISO 9001 is a quality management system that can be of great benefit to firms, depending
on why and how they adopt it. In the article by Cândido, the author examines the system,
the motivations behind adoption, and the reasons firms continue to use the system or
decertify. Firms must consider these factors when adopting ISO 9001 in order to reap the
benefits and achieve the most negligible loss.
Keywords:
ISO 9001,
Comment Business,
Quality Management
This review is based on: “Strategies for the ISO 9001 certification life cycle (StrategISO)” by Carlos Systems,
J.F. Cândido, published in International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. ISO

Reference
Cândido, C.J.F. (2023), “Strategies for the ISO 9001 certification life cycle (StrategISO)”, International
Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print,
doi: 10.1108/IJPPM-05-2023-0224.

For instructions on how to order reprints of this article, please visit our website:
www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/licensing/reprints.htm
Or contact us for further details: permissions@emeraldinsight.com

VOL. 40 NO. 3 2024 j STRATEGIC DIRECTION j PAGE 17