QUALITY: THE IMPLICATIONS OF DEMING'S APPROACH

Description

W. Edwards Deming (1900–1993) was a statistician, physicist, consultant, and teacher. He is best known for developing a system of Statistical Quality Control, although his contributions far exceed the introduction of those techniques. He contended that quality is the responsibility of top management and that high quality costs less than poor quality. He also championed the idea that quality must be built into the product at all stages of development and production in order to achieve excellence.

Deming was one of the earliest well-known proponents of quality, and his philosophy concerning the managerial changes necessary to achieve quality changed management practices in both manufacturing and service industries worldwide. His work illuminated and extended that of earlier proponents of quality control and productivity. Deming's many contributions to quality improvement and the corresponding managerial changes that are a prerequisite for quality include his famous 14 Points,...