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This book is intended to help individuals involved in managing and conducting audits to ISO 9001:2000. It focuses on auditing as a management process as well as a key driver of continual improvement within an organization.

When Walter A. Shewhart (the father of modern quality control) described his book as "...an indication of the direction in which future developments may be expected to take place," could he have forseen its enormous impact? This monumental work laid the foundation for this modern quality control discipline, and it remains as current today as ever.

Myriad studies have acknowledged that ISO 9001-registered companies outperform non-ISO 9001 registered companies; however, a main finding in many studies has shown that registered companies are performing at the same level regardless of their ISO 9001 registration.

There is a forgotten process in modern quality management that is preventing many companies from reaching their full potential. Neglect of this process can have economic consequences that can reach into the billions of dollars. This process is decision making. Decisions of varying impact are made every working day by every employee, and the sheer number of decisions has an enormous impact on a company’s bottom line.

The purpose of this book is to provide a clear, concise, yet simple and compelling explanation of what quality systems are, how they integrate with customer requirements, and how they are really meant to be defined, documented, implemented, and maintained.

When Walter A. Shewhart (the father of modern quality control) described his book as "...an indication of the direction in which future developments may be expected to take place," could he have forseen its enormous impact?

Many companies that are achieving the most significant business results today, made a shift in focus from the management of quality in the twentieth century to the quality of management in the twenty-first century. The big difference is that these companies focus on quality as a fundamental organization and market-wide strategy for their company’s competitiveness.

The use of quality and continual improvement is no longer considered the sole property of manufacturing or of the traditional engineering and production environment. Most professionals entering the workforce today are required to analyze situations, identify problems, and provide solutions for improved performance. Improving the organization is everyone’s job. Teamwork is critical, requiring the participation of members of all backgrounds, nationalities, educational levels, and career aspirations.

The Quality Toolbox is a comprehensive reference to a variety of methods and techniques: those most commonly used for quality improvement, many less commonly used, and some created by the author and not available elsewhere.

As the face of business continues to change, organizations are looking for new ways to remain competitive and profitable. Many businesses have succumb to the "program du jour" management trap, jumping from one management philosophy to the next looking for the ultimate solution. ISO 9000, Baldrige, Six Sigma…which is the best program for your company?