Over the years, quality control and standardization have proven to be able to provide a solid infrastructure for a successful business. But when it comes to innovations, how do they affect one another? Do standards act as barriers to innovations, and how to control the quality of your products and be flexible and open for innovations at the same time?
Standardization: barrier or support for innovations?
Standards are often regarded as constraints when it comes to the innovation process. They reduce the variety and introduce a rigid framework that narrows the room for trying out something new and different. But on the other hand, they provide great support for innovations. Thanks to standards, best practices can be identified and used as guidelines for improving your business. They enable the diffusion of knowledge and technology transfer, boosting your innovation efforts in the process. By enabling the transfer of know-how and intellectual property, they create a positive impact on society and ensure quality.
Standardizing your processes enables you to increase predictability and reinforce your internal capabilities. Doing so, you will be able to manage risk more efficiently and improve not only your processes but your entire business as well. When it comes to managing risks in the innovation process, standardization contributes to the acceptance of risk to a certain degree and creating a sense of trust. So yes, standards may pose as barriers for the innovation process but, if managed well, their positive effect on innovations can be substantial.
Quality control: the innovation booster
The positive impact of quality control on your business is obvious:
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Better and more secure market position
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Increases the demand
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Increases profitability
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Cost-effectiveness
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Competitive advantage
