#169 – PDCA IS NOT BEST PRACTICE – GREG CARROLL

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team-carroll-150x150There is a gaggle of Management Consultants pushing the 20th century mantra of Good Management Practice as a panacea to all the ill of today’s business environment. The key plank in most of these methodologies is that old chestnut “the PDCA cycle” for Continuous Improvement. If your consultant wears this as a badge, run a mile

Business Management is no longer just about Financial Accounting or Office Administration.  And Best Practice is not just someone’s vague opinion.  Leading businesses from around the world have, thru the international standards organization, put down a comprehensive set of guidelines for a broad range of Systems Management areas covering the lifecycle management Best Practices. Continue reading

#161 – THE ISO 9001:2015 STANDARD AND THE PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT CYCLE – MURRAY GONZALEZ

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Untitled-150x150ISO 9001:2015 was revised for many reasons. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) cited the needs driving those changes:

  • Adapt to a changing world
  • Reflect the complex environments in which organizations operate
  • Provide a consistent foundation for the future
  • Ensure the new standard reflects the needs of all relevant interested parties
  • Ensure alignment with other management system standards1

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#158 – 3 THINGS LARGE CORPORATIONS CAN LEARN FROM SME’S WHEN MANAGING RISKS – ALEXEI SIDORENKO

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SIDORENKOCouple of weeks ago I was very fortunate to host one of the roundtables during the FERMA risk seminar in Malta. I am very thankful for the opportunity because the experience of brainstorming for 45 mins with the representatives from various small and medium enterprises (SMEs) really highlighted some major problems with modern day risk management and risk managers.

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#157 – INTEGRATING ISO 9001:2015 WITH ISO 17025 – GREG CARROLL

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GregCarrollIt is not uncommon for laboratories to be saddled with maintaining both ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 certification. Although it is simpler to create and implement two QMS – and to “merge” those activities which can be merged – this approach is arduous, inefficient, and prone to mistakes.

Understanding the difference

ISO 17025 is an “Accreditation” standard which means the laboratory is authorised to issue “Certifications” i.e. they have the qualifications and capabilities to issue certificates of authentication from the tests they carry out.  ISO 9001 relates to the quality and reliability of service a customer can expect from the testing company. Continue reading

#157 – WHY RISK MANAGEMENT IS A TOP PRIORITY? – JAMES BULLOCK

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34e68d6How effective an organization manages risks can be the difference between success and failure. The effectiveness of how risk management works relies on the information feeding into it, a commitment to continuously improve deficiencies, and how well the tools are applied. Adequate time is required for risk management which is an integral part of planning. Continue reading