According to the author selected for this analysis, the quality standards embodied in the ISO 9000 quality systems standards have clearly become more prevalent over the last few years, in fact, more than 90 countries out of the world's 220 or so burgeoning nations have adopted the ISO 9000 series or its equivalent as their national standards; furthermore, adherence to ISO 9000 standards has become mandatory for companies looking to market medical devices or telecommunications equipment in Europe, where more than 20,000 companies are currently registered (Barnes, 1998. According to this analyst, "In the U.S., suppliers to the electrical, chemical, and nuclear industries are expecting certification to become mandatory. The number of ISO 9000 registrations is doubling every nine to 12 months in the U.S., from 100 in 1990 to 4000 in 1994" (Barnes 1998, p. 24).

What is typically referred to as the ISO 9000 standard are actually comprised...
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