Since it was originally conceived in 1987, some 250,000 organizations around the world have registered to ISO 9000.
It will require organizations that have previously been certified to update their current quality systems. It will also change the ground rules for organizations that are seeking or will seek registration in the future. National standards bodies, registrars, consultants and the rest of the apparatus that has grown up around the standard now have to contend with a whole new set of challenges and opportunities.