Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), Russian writer
What does it mean for an organization to implement ISO 9000?
Answer: Change herself.
Indeed, the objectives proposed by an organization involved in a project aimed at implementing the ISO 9001: 2000 standard, such as obtaining a competitive advantage, differentiating itself from the competition, demonstrating its concern for quality, starting a project aimed at Total Quality, or simply meet the demands of her clients, they can only be achieved if she can change herself.
Being myopia regarding this situation also implies losing sight of the fundamental aspects that are present in any process of change, since it is not only a matter of modifying the organization chart or communicating the new vision of the management. This process consists of creating a new organizational reality by modifying its essence, and not simply applying makeup.
This process of change must be understood as a decisive intervention by the Company's Management aimed at creating and developing new ideas, as a deliberate effort to improve the system, which allows generating new possibilities of action, based on new concepts for employers. of the organization.
Stages of Organizational Change - The Ice Cube
Considering a model that emphasizes the way in which organizations see and respond to change, it requires changing collective behaviors, at the group level, which forms a complex process that requires sufficient time for its consolidation.
According to traditional theories enunciated in the 1950s by Kurt Lewin, and following his exemplary metaphor, if someone wishes to turn an ice cube into an ice cylinder, they have at least two possibilities: carve the edges of the cube (with which wastes ice and the cylinder never becomes perfect) or defrost the cube, put the water in a cylindrical mold and freeze again (the new ice is larger than that obtained by the first method and has a better shape).
Similarly with the process of change in organizations, 3 stages can be identified:
- Defrost New behavior New freeze
During the Thaw, individuals or groups must be motivated and prepared to change, making them see the need for such a thing, by becoming aware of the existence of an opportunity, a need or a problem in the organization, which produces a perception that something needs to be done, fostering an effort aimed at weakening and breaking the forces that traditionally act in the organization.
This stage can take place naturally, due to the development of the organization or it can be the result of a conscious and thoughtful decision to progress in a certain direction.
The following situation can be taken as an example: problems are found with the way in which information is collected and communicated from one unit of the organization to another (inappropriate language, unclear format, incomplete information fields, inappropriate use, etc.). This can lead to small changes over time.
However, the supervisory area can make a concrete proposal to change the format of the form used that raises the problem in its entirety and involves all interested parties in the need for change: attitudes, professional language, compliance with records, etc.
In this way, the situation that required change has been unfrozen, highlighting its most important aspects, and generating the opportunity for each of them to be studied and the necessary modifications made.
Some requirements of the ISO 9001: 200 standard are a formidable tool to manage this stage, such as the treatment of non-conformities, corrective actions and preventive actions.
New behavior is the stage during which the incorporation of the necessary innovations in procedures, relationships and technology takes place, implies learning new behaviors, and produces confidence in change, according to the greater knowledge that is It has of the circumstances and the results that are obtained. Change measures have been adopted and the observed transformations have been accepted.
Continuing with the above example, stakeholders will launch a new way of collecting and communicating information from one area to others, and participants in the process will try to facilitate acceptance by all areas of this innovation or improvement.
In order to underpin what has been achieved at this stage, it is very useful for the organization to bear in mind the documentation requirements of its quality management system, developing the documents (procedures, work instructions, etc.) that are necessary to ensure the effective planning, operation and control of its processes, according to the new behavior achieved.
The New Freeze occurs when all those who are related to the situation of change accept the innovations that have been produced and demonstrate new attitudes and behaviors that are constituted as true renewed work habits.
Definitive acceptance is demonstrated when all workers perform the task (or use technology or move in a physical environment) introducing the change in their usual processes: the new behavior becomes part of the personality of the individual or of the groups.
To consolidate this stage, reinforcement actions are required, so it is essential that the organization carry out adequate management of its HR (Competence, awareness and training), and also carry out internal audits.
In the situation described as an example, this stage is reached when the new way of collecting and communicating information from one area to others is a standard method throughout the organization.
Kurt Lewin refers to the fact that in the process of change, the stability of the system is maintained through the intervention of certain forces whose equilibrium ensures the permanence of the structure of the system. These forces can be drivers (positive), factors that help people to move in the direction of change, or limiting (negative), which on the contrary, increase persistence in the current state or resistance to change.
These forces must be identified, in order to increase the positive forces and decrease the negative ones (eliminate them or change their direction).
In the example already cited, the challenge of changing the method of collecting and communicating information from one area to others requires increasing positive forces (motivation of the participants in the process, facilitating and encouraging meetings between representatives of the different areas, etc..), and reduce negatives (incomplete or incorrect information, etc.).
Bibliography
Lewin, Kurt, Field Theory in Social Science, New York: Harper Row, 1951.
Biasca, Rodolfo, Results, La Acción: from ideas to concrete facts, Buenos Aires. Granica Editions, 2000
Mª Paz Mompart García / Marta Durán Escribano, Administration and Management. Madrid, Editorial DAE, 2005
ISO 9001: 2000, Quality Management Systems. Requirements, Geneva, 2000.
ISO 9004: 2000. Quality Management Systems. Guidelines for performance improvements, Geneva, 2000
Executive Summary
Objective: to define the most important aspects related to the way in which organizations see and respond to the changes generated by a project aimed at implementing the ISO 9001: 2000 Standard.
Main theme:
Meaning of implementing ISO 9000
Stages of organizational change
Lewin forces
Management and / or supervision levels in goods or services industries, and who are in charge of a project aimed at implementing the ISO 9001: 2000 Standard.
