Management systems are evolving as part of a larger trend toward risk management and sustainability. We are entering the fourth era of organization management. First came the control era, where the focus was on defining and controlling characteristics, conditions, and contaminants. This period roughly ran from 1925 to 1975. Then came the assurance era, where the focus was on defining and following processes. This period lasted about half as long as the first: 1975-2000. Recently, we entered the management era, where separate systems were established and often certified. Continue reading →