RE: Shewhart, Deming and Juran

["Doug Hensler" <Hensler@colorado.edu>]

Dr. Juran did not get his due in regard to Japan's post-war recovery, but neither did Homer Sarasohn by a long shot (see http://honoringhomer.net/ for some terrific information).  Sarasohn was the first to teach the Japanese about quality management after WWII.

Dr. Juran's disgruntlement, justified or not, is likely rooted in the Deming Prize and the 1980 airing of "If Japan Can, Why Can't We" on NBC.  Juran's contributions throughout the world are immeasurable.  He is intolerant of façade and immensely dedicated to improvement.

Nonetheless, I think that, with the exception of Homer Sarasohn, we can put Juran, Drucker, and others in one category and Dr. Deming by himself in another.  Why do I say this?  Because the man haunts me . . . in a good way.  How does he do that?  Whenever I pick up some new literature going back to Senge's The Fifth Discipline and moving forward through the Intellectual Capital literature, the Sustainability literature, etc. I find Dr. Deming speaking to me.  I find myself quickly turning to the back of a book to see if Dr. Deming's works are cited.  Sometimes they are, more often they are not.  My interpretation of this is that he was truly a prophet.  His warnings, his admonitions, his laughter, his intensity and commitment to the system just keep being borne out through others.

At the end of this month I am leaving my post here at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  I have enjoyed reading DEN and will continue to do so.  For those who are interested in a position here, there is an announcement at http://emp.colorado.edu/facultynews.aspx#Search.

Doug Hensler
W. Edwards Deming Professor of Management
University of Colorado at Boulder