Autor(es):
Rebelo, Manuel 
; Santos, Gilberto ; Silva, Rui
Data: 2013
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/11110/424
Origem: CiencIPCA
Assunto(s): integrated management systems (IMS);; quality management system (QMS); environmental management system (EMS);; occupational health and safety management system (OH&SMS);; occupational health and safety management system (OH&SMS); sustainable business; added value; continuous improvement
Descrição
Management systems standards (MSSs) have developed in an unprecedented manner in
the last few years. These MSS cover a wide array of different disciplines, aims and
activities of organisations. Also, organisations are populated with an enormous
diversity of independent management systems (MSs). An integrated management
system (IMS) tends to integrate some or all components of the business. Maximising
their integration in one coherent and efficient MS is increasingly a strategic priority
and constitutes an opportunity for businesses to be more competitive and
consequently, promote its sustainable success. Those organisations that are quicker
and more efficient in their integration and continuous improvement will have a
competitive advantage in obtaining sustainable value in our global and competitive
business world. Several scholars have proposed various theoretical approaches
regarding the integration of management sub-systems, leading to the conclusion that
there is no common practice for all organisations as they encompass different
characteristics. One other author shows that several tangible and intangible gains for
organisations, as well as to their internal and external stakeholders, are achieved
with the integration of the individual standardised MSs. The purpose of this work
was to conceive a model, Flexible, Integrator and Lean for IMSs, according to ISO
9001 for quality; ISO 14001 for environment and OHSAS 18001 for occupational
health and safety (IMS–QES), that can be adapted and progressively assimilate
other MSs, such as, SA 8000/ISO 26000 for social accountability, ISO 31000 for
risk management and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management, among
others. The IMS–QES model was designed in the real environment of an industrial
Portuguese small and medium enterprise, that over the years has been adopting,
gradually, in whole or in part, individual MSSs. The developed model is based on a
preliminary investigation conducted through a questionnaire. The strategy and
research methods have taken into consideration the case study. Among the main
findings of the survey we highlight: the creation of added value for the business
through the elimination of several organisational wastes; the integrated management
of the sustainability components; the elimination of conflicts between independent
MS; dialogue with the main stakeholders and commitment to their ongoing
satisfaction and increased contribution to the company’s competitiveness; and
greater valorisation and motivation of employees as a result of the expansion of their
skill base, actions and responsibilities, with their consequent empowerment. A set of
key performance indicators (KPIs) constitute the support, in a perspective of
business excellence, to the follow up of the organisation’s progress towards the
vision and achievement of the defined objectives in the context of each component
of the IMS model. The conceived model had many phases and the one presented in
this work is the last required for the integration of quality, environment, safety and
others individual standardised MSs. Globally, the investigation results, by
themselves, justified and prioritised the conception of an IMS–QES model, to be implemented at the company where the investigation was conducted, but also a generic
model of an IMS, which may be more flexible, integrator and lean as possible,
potentiating the efficiency, added value both in the present and, fundamentally, for
future.
