Comparative Performance Analysis of ISO-Certified and Non-ISO-Certified Companies

A comprehensive review of the extant literature on ISO Management System (IMS) standards certified companies conceded into major business performance improvement factors and elements. The worldwide activities of ISO Development of International Standards Total as of the end of December 2023 are 25111 International Standards and standards-type documents. ISO population data files for the years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021) show the standards used for certification in Pakistan besides world ISO population data. In 2023, a total of 1,465 International Standards and standards-type documents were published. Due to space limitations in the research paper, only one data file is attached to this paper. The most popular and populous standard among all is the ISO 9000 Quality Management System (QMS) standards adopted in Pakistan. The identified factors and elements /items were reviewed and converted into criteria set and framework. The analysis of this secondary experiential data shows that IMS standards certification improves the businesses’ performance. A survey questionnaire was designed on these business performance improvement factors and elements and pilot-tested to establish its ‘Reliability and Validity’. This questionnaire was used to collect national primary empirical data from both IMS standards-certified and non-certified businesses in all chambers of commerce and industry in Pakistan, including women’s chambers. The analysis of this national primary empirical data also shows an impact of IMS standards certification on businesses’ performance. Hence, it supports the results of secondary ISO experiential data analysis. Also, in comparative performance analysis, the IMS standards certified businesses outperformed the non-certified businesses. The IMS standards certification contributes to the prosperity, sustainability, technical, managerial, financial, Operational, communication, social, and environmental improvement, etc. of the businesses, thus increasing the national GDP. This improvement trend ultimately helps in attaining SDG goals set by the UN for all nations.