Country Report on Quality Movement in Hong Kong

Abstract

This ‘Country Report’ summarizes the quality movement in the HKSAR according to the following headings: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, 5-S, Quality Award, CSR and the International Conference on ISO 9000 & TQM (ICIT). The 5-S and APBEST Award were pioneered in HK. In particular, the 5-S movement has created significant successes and has been transplanted to other countries world-wide. Facts and figures are provided as far as possible. The paper is not only valuable for those who want to update themselves on what quality movements have been done in Hong Kong, it also sheds light to other countries to further develop their quality movements.

Introduction

With the shift of manufacturing base to China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has been evolved from a manufacturing economy to a service-based knowledge economy over the past three decades. People in HKSAR usually receive a high level of education. On the other hand, organizations seek to improve their images and business performances beyond ISO 9001:2008 certification. The following eight principles of Quality Management Systems (QMS) remain relevant to all sectors though variations of focus and applications may be found among industries: