ISO 9000, TQM and Central Europe

Abstract

ISO 9000 specifivally and TQM generally are one of paradigms of the end of 1990s. An approach of the Central European managers to quality management is described in the article. Several premises hidden beyond managerial thinking make obstacles to successful implementation of ISO 9000, mainly beliefs to commands, obsolete centralized organizational structure, different kinds of management protection from responsibility, lack of conceptual information about TQM, short term goals, and inability to create a new company culture focused to prevention. Reasons are discussed in the article. Significant shift in training of managers must be made to obtain necessary skill and approach to people - generally, in shift of their mental models and company culture.