Two Systems of Quality Standards Management and their Impact on SMEs

Abstract

The main goal of this paper is to study the impact of the internationally recognized quality standards on small business. The reason for this interest came from the challenges, which those standards pose to the enterprises of the former socialist countries from Eastern Europe in respect to the economic globalization. After the expected European Union accession, Bulgarian enterprises will have more opportunities for production co-operation and specialization. The minimal condition for such co-operation, however, will be the compatibility with the internationally recognized quality standards. The present research is based on the intensive literature review. The main sources are the relevant publications in the last 15 years. It is organized around three major tasks. The first one consists in the comparative analysis of the two internationally recognized systems of quality standards (the ISO 9000 and the Quality Awards for Excellence). The second one presents the general market effects of the quality standards implementation, and the third one concentrates on the specific affects those standards produce in small businesses.