Narrowing ISO certification gap in Africa
by Tigineh Mersha
International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management (IJPQM), Vol. 2, No. 1, 2007

Abstract: Recently, there has been increasing realisation that Africa's immense untapped resources could soon be exploited to benefit its citizens as well as the world community. Africa comprises 10% of the world's population, but its share in world trade is a minuscule 2.3%. At present, Africa is far behind other regions in the ISO certification race, and this so-called 'standards divide' is seen as one of the major contributing factors for the continent's poor performance in international trade. This paper identifies some of the barriers that impede African firms from obtaining ISO certification and proposes a set of strategies that can help narrow the current standardisation gap. In particular, the paper posits that a coordinated effort by industry and government leaders to boost ISO certification in Africa will help narrow the current gap and enable the continent to become a more active player in international trade.

Online publication date: Thu, 30-Nov-2006

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