How does IATF 16949 add value to ISO 9001? An empirical study

Abstract

This article analyses the added value of IATF 16949–a standard for qualitymanagement in the automotive sector–with respect to ISO 9001, the most popularstandard for quality management worldwide. An exploratory qualitative study wascarried out based on a multiple case study. Eight companies operating at differentlevels of the Spanish automotive sector supply chain were analysed and 27 interviewswere conducted–17 with managers of these companies and 10 with auditors andconsultants. Multiple internal and external sources of documentation were alsoanalysed. Thefindings show that IATF 16949 adds value to a moreflexible ISO9001 infive main areas: market, customer service in the supply chain, operationalperformance, staff, and technology. Overall, IATF 16949 is seen as a‘license tooperate’for automotive sector suppliers, for whom ISO 9001 seems to have lost itssignalling value. This study sheds light on the raison d’être of sectoral standards forQMSs such as IATF 16949 and contributes to the literature on the neo-institutionalapproach to QMSs and explains some of the main weaknesses of ISO 9001.