Its sounds obvious, particularly in the age of technology where everything seems possible, but do integrated management systems live up to the hype? There are plenty of companies making the case for integrated systems but do the costs involved outweigh the benefits.
The real benefit is not in the bringing together of two or three management systems into one system, saving on paperwork and system administration. The benefit must be the impact integration will have on business performance.
The questions to ask:
► Will integration impact customers positively or negatively?
► Which systems will be integrated – quality, environment, health & safety?
► What benefit will the company obtain from an integrated management system? Reduced costs? Improved sales?
A lot of companies find that there are significant cost reductions as a result of integration, other reasons for integration include:
► harmonise and optimise working practices
► create consistency
► improve communication
The real benefit will only come when senior managers see that integration provides the opportunity to review all aspects of the business. The resulting changes in the way the organisation operates can provide validity to, and support the systems integration efforts.
