There are some interesting challenges for SQA role & activities in my organization. This is with reference to Software Industry.

Basically there is at a gross level lack of compliance to Quality Management system (This is more to do with a mindset issue & ego, high esteem perspective, 'I can delivery without QMS')

Even the people in escalation path just listen, but do not take much action.

SQA is supposed to co-ordinate reviews (tech and management) However the fact is that practitioners preciously know when a review is required as they have higher and bigger stake in the project and they do it exactly when required irrespective of what SQA says. SQA is then merely a coordinator.

If SQA recommends a practice, no one follows (even though it is understood that SQA is a customer advocate), when the same thing is asked by customer, without fail everyone follows!

I find something wrong with the way SQA Roles/Responsibilities are defined & implemented in the organization I work with.

In one of the CMM Books I came across a Disadvantage of SQA concept that was indicative of organizations would not want to assign their best technical talent into such roles.