W. Edwards Deming
Out of the Crisis is a book by W. Edwards Deming; however, as no publication date or further detail about this title appears in the available facts, the single most concrete anchor for his career is his standing as a statistician, economist, mathematician, engineer, and author whose work was recognized across multiple professional fields.
Deming was born on October 14, 1900, in Sioux City. He pursued an education at the University of Wyoming, the University of Colorado, Yale University, and University College London. This course of study across several institutions prepared him for careers that spanned statistics, mathematics, economics, engineering, and industrial engineering. He worked as a university teacher and wrote in English throughout his professional life. He was a citizen of the United States.
The honors Deming received attest to the range of fields in which his contributions were acknowledged. He was awarded the Shewhart Medal and the Wilks Memorial Award, both connected to the statistical profession. He also received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, a Japanese state decoration, and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, conferred by the United States government. Beyond his technical and professional roles, Deming was also a composer, an activity that ran alongside his documented work in engineering and the quantitative sciences.
Deming died on December 20, 1993, in Washington, D.C. The Library of Congress authorized form of his name is recorded as "Deming, W. Edwards (William Edwards), 1900–1993," a designation that establishes the full given name — William Edwards — behind the initials under which he was professionally known, and that fixes the dates of his life in the archival record.
Quotes by W. Edwards Deming
It is not enough that top management commit themselves for life to quality and productivity. They must know what it is that they are committed to that is, what they must do. These obligations cannot be delegated. Support is not enough; action is required.
Experience by itself teaches nothing...Without theory, experience has no meaning. Without theory, one has no questions to ask. Hence without theory there is no learning.
My mother was my biggest role model. She taught me to hate waste. We never wasted anything.
In Japan, a company worker's position is secure. He is retrained for another job if his present job is eliminated by productivity improvement.
In 1945, the world was in a shambles. American companies had no competition. So nobody really thought much about quality. Why should they? The world bought everything America produced. It was a prescription for disaster.
I predicted in 1950 that in five years, manufacturers the world over would be screaming for protection. It took only four years.
American management thinks that they can just copy from Japan. But they don't know what to copy.
What should be the aim of management? What is their job? Quality is the responsibility of the top people. Its origin is in the boardroom. They are the ones who decide.