ISO 9000 Adoption in Algeria: An Examination of the Implementation Experiences of Certified Companies
Mohamed Djerdjouri, Mustapha Boukhatem, Abdelmadjid Mesbah

Abstract
Purpose – Quality management systems are a very new trend in Algeria. The main objective of this article is to study the implementation of ISO 9000 systems in Algerian organizations and report on their experiences with the goal of improving the implementation process in terms of time and cost for the upcoming companie. Methodology – A questionnaire consisting of 30 questions was developed and tested. It covered the profile of the company, the certification process, the structural changes and training for certification, the reasons for ISO 9000 adoption, the sources of assistance obtained before and during implementation, the satisfaction level with auditing agencies, the benefits obtained from certification, the difficulties encountered during implementation, the lessons learned and future quality management systems plans. The questionnaire was sent to all the 132 certified companies listed in the Ministry of Industry directory. Most of the questionnaires were filled out through a one on one interview with managers. 87 usable questionnaires were returned representing a 66% response rate. Findings – The main findings indicated that the firms benefited from certification and had plans to continue implementing quality management systems beyond ISO 9000; however they reported problems with sources of information and lack of assistance from government agencies before and during the implementation process. Moreover, problems with motivating employees and staff and interesting them in quality management systems were encountered, resulting in a strong resistance for change Originality/Value – Quality management systems in general and ISO 9000 systems are a new phenomenon in Algeria. To our knowledge, this is the first wide-ranging study of ISO 9000 certified companies in Algeria. The results provide an insight into quality management adoption and practices of Algerian companies, which are trying to learn how to compete in the global market. Furthermore, the study shows that awareness and interest in quality management systems by Algerian managers are growing rapidly.

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