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ISO 9000:2000 defines quality as `the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfils requirements'.

Grade denotes a category or grade attributed to a product, and grades and categories of products having the same functional use can be widely different.

 
The term quality assurance is used to denote actions that lead to building confidence in all concerned stakeholders that requirements would be fulfilled.The term quality control simply focuses on fulfilling quality requirements.Quality management, on the other hand, encompasses all activities, maintaining the focus on distinction and control aspects in an organisation as regards quality is concerned.
 
Quality Management Principles
The ISO 9000:2000 family of standards has been established on the basis of eight quality management principles:

1. Customer focus
Organisations depend upon customers; a successful organisation is one that will continually capture the changing needs and expectations
of customers and strive to meet them, or exceed them.

2. Leadership
Leadership is more than an administrative activity, a good leader will establish unity of purpose, and will direct, motivate and control an
organisation so that people become fully involved in all initiatives including those related to quality.

3. Involvement of people
People are the essence of an organisation, and for an organisation to be successful; people will have to be nurtured well.

4. Process approach
A product is a result of a process; therefore, only a well-managed process will result in an acceptable product.

5. Systems approach
Processes are always inter-linked, and managing a system of interrelated processes, keeping the stakeholder requirements in mind,
can alone result in consistent performance.

6. Continual improvement
With improvements and breakthroughs in technologies, and with increasing needs and expectations of customers, improvement has
to be the permanent objective for any organisation to survive and grow in the marketplace.

7. Factual approach to decision making
Decisions can be more accurately made if there is data to support decisions. The decision making process might be logical, or even intuitive;
But if they are taken based on data, they are likely to be better than decisions taken without looking at data.

8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationship
Progressive organisations consider suppliers as an extended arm of themselves and therefore provide due support to suppliers and build long-term relationships with them.