A study on the internationally known benefits of an ISO certification among the different industries in Lebanon

Abstract

Purpose – This research explores whether or not the international benefits of an ISO Certification are being enjoyed by companies in Lebanon. Furthermore, it studies whether a variation exists among different industries. Design/methodology/approach – This research was deductive in nature, and required semi-structured interviews with representatives from different companies, all certified by ISO Liban. For reasons expressed later in the paper, the representative sample was tapered to twenty distinct companies that fell into four different industries. The analysis consisted of interviews and qualitative analysis. Findings – The findings reveal that not all of the firms certified by ISO Liban are reaping the expected and internationally known benefits. This is due to several reasons. This study also revealed that the industry that seems most disaffected by an ISO Certification is the Food and Beverage Industry. Research limitations/implications – Since the research was strictly qualitative, the challenge is to generalize results reliably and validly. Practical implications – From a practical standpoint, this research is intended to study if companies in Lebanon are reaping the benefits of ISO Certifications. For those who are not, it will shed light as to why. Originality/value − The novelty of this paper is that not only does it evaluate the positive aspects of ISO Certifications; it also studies them across the different industries. Paper Type − Research Paper.