Integrated Management Systems

Synonyms

Combined management systems, Shared management systems

Definition

A single management system that a company establishes to satisfy multiple management system standards at the same time.

Introduction

Management systems have existed for as long as companies have existed, since involved approaches (no matter how informal) would have been needed to manage those entities. While systems (which are comprised of a series of processes) may be established informally to deal with day-to-day management demands, there are various reasons for companies to formalize such systems. As companies grow larger or more complex, it becomes harder to maintain consistency in the operation of informal management systems, causing output quality and other factors to begin fluctuating. Formalizing management systems helps companies to crystallize their values and aims, develop documented procedures that promote consistent work approaches, use data to evaluate their effectiveness and efficiency, and...