The purpose of ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System (QMS) is to provide businesses with a model to grow
systematically while assuring the quality of their products. The validity of ISO 9001:2000 QMS stems, largely, from the fact
that the best minds worldwide have contributed to its development and maintenance, and the fact that many companies have
reported real business gains because of its implementation. Unfortunately, many small businesses fail to survive due to the
absence or lack of adequate system for managing quality. An obvious recommendation would be to implement ISO 9001:2000
QMS. Nevertheless, small businesses often cite lack of resources and time as the main reasons for not implementing ISO
9001:2000 QMS.
This article proposes a framework for an effective and economical implementation of the ISO 9001:2000 QMS in small
businesses. Unlike the traditional one-shot approach to ISO 9001:2000 implementation, the proposed framework is built on
four premises, utilizing an incremental approach that considers the specific characteristics of small businesses.