How does one explain cooperation in a world where competition is next to Godliness?

["Mike Woolbert" <mawoolb@charter.net>]

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a college professor and =
administrator last week.  As with most of my conversations, part of it =
evolved into a restatement of WED's theories and ideas.  This bright and =
intelligent person, after hearing comments on cooperation, asked in all =
earnestness, "Was Deming a Communist?".  I was shocked to hear this =
analysis.  As the Quality fad died down, several years ago, many =
executives dismissed Deming as a communist too.

I went on to explain that I thought Deming was a "hyper-capitalist", =
since his focus was on making the business great, by not fostering =
competition among the employees and by growing the market as a strategy. =
 Deming didn't see business as a zero sum game.

I think that if WED's ideas are going to be mainstream,  this notion of =
cooperation being communism needs to be dispelled.  Does anyone at the =
DEN know of a good article that deals with this misconception?        =20