CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS TO ISO 9001 IMPLEMENTATION IN TURKISH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: EVIDENCE FROM SURVEYS AND INTERVIEWS

Mazhar Çağrı Akar

Abstract


Quality management has developed into a managerial paradigm that underpins a range of model-based approaches. The literature frequently highlights figures such as Walter Shewhart and W. Edwards Deming, often giving particular weight to Deming’s holistic management philosophy. Yet, because “quality” is intrinsically difficult to define, the resulting models differ substantially across contexts. Within this landscape, the ISO 9000 family is often positioned under quality assurance due to its prescriptive orientation. Its implementation is typically time-bounded and strongly shaped by the motivation and engagement of those responsible. By focusing on organizational processes, ISO 9000 prioritizes reducing nonconformities and enabling structured problem-solving. Despite these constraints, the ISO 9000 series has been adopted by a broad spectrum of organizations worldwide, including educational institutions. This study examines the obstacles and implementation challenges encountered by Turkish educational organizations in implementing ISO 9001. The Results section discusses the friction between ISO 9001 requirements and the operational realities of the Turkish education system. An interpretive analysis was conducted using evidence gathered from surveys and interviews. The results indicate that effective leadership and mutually beneficial supplier relationships are central to successful ISO 9001 implementation. Future work could extend this inquiry by comparing ISO 9001-experienced institutions with those applying alternative Total Quality Management (TQM) frameworks, thereby helping to identify and/or design more suitable quality management approaches for educational settings.

 

JEL: L15, M10, M19, I21

 

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Keywords


quality assurance, ISO 9001, education, leadership, external factors

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejefr.v10i1.2147

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