Re: STUDENT REQUEST:: TQM in relationship with Deming's theory

[Myron Tribus <mtribus@hawk.prod.itd.earthlink.net>]

I agree with Bill Latzko's remarks about TQM and Dr. Deming except 
for one point which I can best illustrate by telling about an 
occasion when Dr. Deming talked about TQM.

It was at the British Deming Association meeting in the late 80's, I 
believe.  There was a Q&A session during which Dr. Deming invited me 
to sit alongside him on the platform.  Someone in the audience asked 
Dr. Deming what he thought of TQM.  He spoke harshly saying, "What is 
it?  I don't know what it is?"  Then he turned to me and said, "You 
answer him, Myron".

I replied by saying something along these lines:

  "People want to have a shorthand way to define a different way to 
manage and distinguish it from what is now being done.  They use the 
letter 'T' to emphasize 'Total', that is, every aspect of the 
business is to be managed this way.  The use the letter 'Q' to make 
it clear the the guiding principal is 'Quality first'.They use the 
letter 'M' to make it clear that it is management's most important 
job.

"I agree that we do not have a good definition of what is in TQM.  I 
personally don't like to give a name to anything because then someone 
else will do something I do not intend and call it by the name I 
used, thus making it appear I favor something I do not.

Still, I understand people's desire to have a shorthand way of 
explaining what they are trying to promote."

At that point Dr. Deming seemed to grunt an approval and we moved on. 
On other occasions I heard him again speak harshly about 'TQM', so I 
guess that after thinking about it some more he rejected my 
explanation.  I still like it.

Myron Tribus,  350 Britto Terrace,  Fremont, CA 94539
Ph:510 651 3641  Fax: 510 656 9875   e-mail: mtribus@earthlink.net
You live only as long as you learn. You learn only as long as it is 
interesting. It is interesting only as long as it is fun.
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