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Juhani
Anttila
STANDARDIZATION AND INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. BUSINESS-PRACTITIONERS' VIEWPOINTS Abstract Practical business people have encountered conceptual, methodological, and practical problems in management systems standards and their applications because of the gaps between the standards and acknowledged traditions and established practices of the strategic and operational business management, and demands of today’s business environments. The standards may, however, be useful and beneficial for competitiveness and sustained business success of organizations if their application is based on integration, responsiveness and innovation. All organizations must base their business implementation and development on their business ideas and aims. They should, however, also balance their actions with statutory and regulatory frameworks and obligations, general standards, and different management practices and doctrines for their business benefits. Integration covers all aspects and subject matters of various expertise needed for managing an organization. A paradox in the application of the management systems standards (MSS) is that organizations’ management systems may not be standardized. Business leaders highly prioritize financial performance and legal aspects in their organizations business. These topics are considered in the contexts of business infrastructure, business processes and mutual partner relationships as examples in this paper. Organizations and their business management must adapt themselves to the prevailing business realities including environments and situations. Today, business communities are facing particular challenges that relate to complex global partner networks and world trade liberalization. Networking and business ecosystems are concepts that are modern trends in all business areas. Innovation is an important requirement when general standards are used for organizations’ business benefits. Organizations must continuously strive for new organization-dedicated unique management solutions to support their business strategies for excellence, competitiveness, and sustained success. Information and knowledge are essential ingredients in managing all organizations. The core of all management systems consists of means of acquiring data, processing, analyzing and storing data and information, and sharing, disseminating, and communicating information and knowledge. [This text was prepared together with Kari Jussila and presented in Budapest, Hungary in 2011 (EOQ'11)]
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