Deming/Sarasohn

[Lou Schultz <lschultz@bluefirepartners.com>]

As long as we are clarifying history, let me put in my two cents worth. 

When Homer Sarasohn was called to Japan by MacArthur to set up a wireless
communications system, he found the Japanese felt we had won the war because
of a secret weapon.  It was in their opinion not the bomb, not our superior
military might, not our strategy, but the secret method we used to ramp up
our production of war materials and supplies.  This was enhanced by the
training developed under the direction of Dr. Holbrook Working, Office of
Production Research and Development of the War Production Board (on leave
from his regular duties as Professor of Statistics at Stanford University),
with the assistance of W. Edward Deming, Mathematical Adviser, Bureau of the
Census and Bureau of the Budget; E. G. Olds, Chief Statistical Consultant,
Office of Production Research and Development, War Production Board; Wyatt
H. Lewis, General Electric Co.; and Eugene L. Grant, Professor of Economics
of Engineering, Stanford University.

When Sarasohn reached Japan, they wanted him to teach them the "secret
weapon".  He couldn't get into that because he first had to teach them basic
management techniques.  As I remember it, anyone in Japan that had been in
management before or during the war was not allowed to be in a management
position after the war.  Sarasohn had to appoint inexperienced people into
management positions and then teach them how to manage.  At a later time, he
recommended they bring in Shewhart and when he was unable to make the trip,
he recommended Dr. Deming.

When I talked to Deming and Sarasohn, I never found any acrimony or jealosy
in either of them and I don't think we should start any now.  They were both
"masters".

Lou

Louis E. Schultz                                  Tel. 612-344-1000
Bluefire Partners                                Fax 612-338-4222
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