RE: Applying WED's teaching to developing countries

["Vic Forte" <vic@vichara.f9.co.uk>]

Apply PDSA.

I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of working in developing
countries.

I am not presuming that your people are under educated, but I work in an
industry that traditionally employs people who were not successful at
school, some of whom have learning difficulties, cannot write etc. I often
hear people say "you can't apply this in our industry because we are - low
paid, under educated, our workers can't be trusted, they don't listen to
reason, there is something uniquely awful about us etc. etc."

All I can say, Mr Lee is that you, like the rest of us are on the cutting
edge of new knowledge. I have not been able to find anyone who can tell me
how to put WED's teachings into practice in a way that I can simply copy. I
have had to work it out for myself from first principles (the principles
that WED gave us himself) in the real work situation using the PDSA
methodology that Dr Deming gave us. I have the had help of some great
advisors, and often they too are perplexed, but they have learnt from my
attempts to put the theory into practice. Some things work, some don't.
Build on the things that do, learn from the things that don't.

You are a pioneer, a discoverer. In that respect you are not different from
most of us here struggling with our learning and development.

I cannot presume to give you advice, Mr Lee and have no great knowledge
myself, but perhaps you might begin in a simple way with a small group and
prove to yourself and your colleagues that the theory actually can work. In
the process, study carefully how you did it and what you learned along the
way, so that you begin to develop your own knowledge that will give you a
basis for the future.

Find a facilitator, or mentor who can help you in your struggle when it
comes down to the hard practical issues that you need to overcome.

Start with a theory, test it, and develop knowledge that can be used as a
base for future theories. Consolidate this knowledge and share it with
others.

I apologise in advance if I have wasted your time because of my lack of
experience of developing countries.

> What can be done prior to the introduction of WED's method to a company in
> a developing country?
>
> Mr. Chow-Ming Lee
> A5890, Lorong Seri Kuantan 52
> 25250 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.
> 'Are you Demingized yet?'
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