Editor’s introduction: Minimum TOS understanding: heterogeneity vs sampling procedures

In order to be reliable, business decisions must be based on reliable analytical results, which in turn must be based on representative samples from the materials, lots and process streams. Thus, in one sense everything starts with being able to conduct appropriate sampling of all types of materials and lots in academe, technology, industry, trade, commerce and society. Enter the TOS, the world's only fully comprehensive framework for representative sampling. The TOS stipulates why and how to use composite sampling for all materials regardless of their level of heterogeneity. The TOS is the world's only directive for how to implement representative sampling solutions that eliminate the negative effects from the two key critical success factors: heterogeneity and choice of sampling procedure.