The role of ISO standards in micro and small-scale food ingredient companies

The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of ISO standards in Irish micro and smallscale food ingredient companies and explore the reasons why ISO standards were or were not adopted and what benefits were gained. A case study methodology was employed to explore use of Quality Management Systems (QMS) in four micro/small-scale food ingredient firms. The two main reasons for implementing the ISO standard were customer satisfaction and pursuit of quality improvement. The evidence suggests that the ability to adopt systems and standards relevant to particular markets is more important in establishing competitive advantage than the achievement of any particular standard such as ISO.