A System of Profound Knowledge

In respect to quality of materials, there are three well known philosophers whom are most referenced: W. Edwards Deming, Philip B. Crosby, and Joseph M. Juran. Throughout the twentieth century, these three men have continuously integrated new systems for improvement in the quality system.
The first and probably most well known of these philosophers is W. Edwards Deming. Deming first came into the public eye when he was credited with assisting the Japanese after World War II and helping to elevate the Japanese industry into the forefront of world industry. Deming stresses that the most important part of quality is the role of management. Deming also emphasizes on achieving long term goals through cultural transformation rather then short term needs. Deming”s findings can be viewed best through his “System of Profound Knowledge,” and his “14 Points of Management.”
While Deming was continually expanding his research, Philip B. Crosby entered the forefront of quality in the 1970″s. Crosby has been a consulter as well as a trainer for many leaders in the manufacturing industries. Like Deming, Crosby also has a “14-Step Pan for Quality Improvement.” Crosby”s main focus is first evaluate the quality system and make improvements on the current system. Another of Crosby”s main concerns is defects. Crosby emphasizes that the performance standard should be “zero defects.”

The most recent of the philosophers is Joseph M. Juran. In the late 1980″s Juran founded an institute to consult and train management in quality. In addition to Deming, Juran also visited Japan to assist their industry at the end of World War II. Juran”s most famous theory of quality is his “quality trilogy,” which focuses on planning, control and improvement of the quality system.
Although Deming, Crosby, and Juran have never collaborated on their work, many similarities are apart in their beliefs. For example, all three men stress the importance of the management system. Also, they have created step-by-step processes by which industries should follow in order to prove the quality of their products. Another important point which is shared by all three men is that quality should be viewed as an entity.
Regardless to the fact that all three have based their lives on the ambitious goal of developing a system to improve quality, there are several key differences exist amidst these three quality experts. First and foremost is their definition of quality. Deming uses statistical predictions, basing his entire view of quality on the quality of the process, not the product whereas Crosby and Juran focus more on the customer. Crosby stresses on the conformance of the quality system to the needs of the customer. Juran goes even one stop further, and basis his entire definition of quality on the intended use of each product by the consumer. Another key point in which the men disagree is goal setting. Deming focuses his ideas mainly on long-term goals, where on the contrary, Crosby and Juran state that short-term goals are equally important.
After extensively reading the works and ideas by there three experts, it is obvious to see why the have been so successful. Quality is a very important part of the industrial as well as the consumer world, and the need for quality improvement increases everyday.