Quality Management quo Vadis: A Snapshot of the German Quality Management Environment

Abstract

The present study was a snapshot of the status of quality management in the DACH region. As part of a survey of 229 executives and employees as well as independent consultants, the current state of quality management was investigated. Basically, it can be said that quality management is largely integrated into the companies, with a few exceptions. The majority of the companies use the standardized method of ISO EN 9001:2015, a considerable proportion use the EFQM method, which places great emphasis on the deductible and assessment. The big difference among the companies surveyed is the lived “spirit” of quality management. It is predominantly reported that the companies have a functioning quality management system; however, many report that there is great potential for improvement in the design and use. Here quality management is often seen as a necessary evil because the certificates are needed for the customers. Quality management is seen as a compulsory exercise and not as a facilitator for innovations and continuous improvement. Business excellence – in the freestyle – is a foreign word. The only remedy is a reflection on a desired reflection on future-oriented business excellence. In order to achieve this, both a reengineering of the business processes and a changed mindset and leadership of the executives and the employees involved must find their way into the company.