Posted By Adrian Watson Dear Charles, Without being facetious the one the works for you! Any management system is better than none, so TQM, HSG 65 model, BS8800, ISO 9001/2000, ISO 14001, ISO 18001 are all ok. What really matters are that: (1) The system used must be consistent with your organisational culture; and (2) Your management team must be prepared to put in the effort over a long period of time make it work and keep it working. My advice is keep it short and simple; follow the path of least resistance that will get you to where you need to get. Regards Adrian Watson

Posted By Adrian Watson James, My working definition of culture is "the collective values and beliefs of the individuals within the organisation." As an example of the problem, if you have an organisation that believes in minimalism and the absence of bureaucracy, then the ISO series, would not work because of the demand for higher levels of documentation; thus there is a clash between the culture of the organisation and the needs of the standard. That said, as culture is a dynamic entity the system that is appropriate today may be inappropriate tomorrow and vice versa. Regards Adrian Watson