Organizations that offer products or services are affected by external factors such as political, economic, technological, and environmental elements. However, they are also significantly influenced by the often-overlooked internal factor of culture. Management system standards (ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, etc.) thus emphasize the need to consider cultural impacts.

This influence comes from both the employees and the management of the organization. It is common to hear complaints within the organization such as, “We see no benefit in this. It’s not suitable for us.” Management might approach the issue with the mindset of “Just get the job done, meet the requirements,” while employees might resist, thinking, “Am I supposed to save the day? My workload is increasing.” If not for authority, perhaps management would be reluctant as well. Such organizations do not feel a need for these activities and believe they are of no benefit.

Yet, in today’s world, the countries that have achieved prosperity are those with organizations that compete in global markets and offer sustainable products and services. Looking at the management system statistics published annually on the ISO website, one can easily see the direct correlation between the number of management system certifications in a country and its per capita national income. According to this correlation, standardization contributes to the path to prosperity.

While the benefits of standardization are clear, most organizations in various countries are generally reluctant to establish, operate, and maintain management systems. The majority of organizations undertake compliance work when legislation demands it. Also, when the national standards body in their country sends out a draft of a standard to be matured during any stage of standard development, there is usually minimal feedback, often none beyond “we have no comment on this subject.” In contrast, organizations in developed countries make serious contributions to creating and developing standards. They actively participate in the sector and work closely with national standards bodies, significantly contributing to the maturation of standards. Why isn’t this level of stakeholder participation seen in our country?

To illustrate with an everyday example; many of us have seen local governments engaging in repetitive tasks. For instance, sidewalks are frequently replaced, roads are resurfaced only to be cut open soon after to lay pipes, etc. These examples of repetitive work lead to both resource and time wastage. Although citizens are aware that these practices are incorrect, they generally do not utilize complaint mechanisms. A prevailing attitude of indifference inhibits employees and stakeholders from contributing to the improvement processes they are involved in.

 

Consider this scenario; management asks, “What do we need to manage our organization well? How can we achieve traceability, measurability, accountability, and improvement?” Meanwhile, employees approach their work with the mindset of “I must do my job well for myself, my values, my organization, and my country.” Citizens criticize and complain about the wrong practices they observe. At that point, interaction from management to employees and from employees to management begins. This interaction increasingly contributes to effective activities and yields the desired results from the management system. This situation demonstrates the embracement of a systems approach, where management has strategic thinking and employees have high awareness. Isn’t it time for our country to move beyond effectiveness to deal with efficiency?

When designing a system, the cultural impact factor must be thoroughly examined in the context of the organization. Resistance must be overcome to integrate employees and stakeholders into the system. Employees must apply system principles in their work practices. For this, a series of activities can be organized to increase employee awareness. The benefits that planned living and shared interests can bring to both daily and professional life should be reminded to those involved.

Unless individuals reinforce the theoretical knowledge acquired during their education in their daily and professional lives, it will not translate into behavior. This deficiency leads to inefficiency, both individually and institutionally.

In well-managed organizations, stakeholder participation and internal/external communication processes are effectively implemented. Systems approach-based knowledge management should be practiced in organizations. Organizations are now starting to work in sub-disciplines such as corporate resource planning, project management, decision support systems, operations research, and data mining. Looking at these disciplines, each inherently contains a systems approach. Awareness of the management system should be present among stakeholders, employees, and especially at every level of management. It should not be forgotten that a management system with stakeholder participation is a management tool that facilitates organizations in reaching their tactical, operational, and strategic goals.