W. Edwards Deming Quotes
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If you do not know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing.
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Uncontrolled variation is the enemy of quality.
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The principles and methods for improvement are the same for service as for manufacturing. The actual application differs, of course, from one product to another, and from one type of service to another.
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Sub-optimization is when everyone is for himself. Optimization is when everyone is working to help the company.
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Long-term commitment to new learning and new philosophy is required of any management that seeks transformation. The timid and the fainthearted, and the people that expect quick results, are doomed to disappointment.
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The main difference between service and manufacturing is the service department doesn't know that they have a product.
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Quality is everyone's responsibility.
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The most valuable "currency" of any organization is the initiative and creativity of its members. Every leader has the solemn moral responsibility to develop these to the maximum in all his people. This is the leader's highest priority.
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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.
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Eighty-five percent of the reasons for failure are deficiencies in the systems and process rather than the employee. The role of management is to change the process rather than badgering individuals to do better.
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People with targets and jobs dependent upon meeting them will probably meet the targets - even if they have to destroy the enterprise to do it.
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Learning is not compulsory; it's voluntary. Improvement is not compulsory; it's voluntary. But to survive, we must learn.
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To successfully respond to the myriad of changes that shake the world, transformation into a new style of management is required. The route to take is what I call profound knowledge - knowledge for leadership of transformation.
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No one knows the cost of a defective product – don't tell me you do. You know the cost of replacing it, but not the cost of a dissatisfied customer.
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Any manager can do well in an expanding market.
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If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing.
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A bad system will beat a good person every time.
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Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival.
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The prevailing system of management has crushed fun out of the workplace.
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Quality is pride of workmanship.
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The result of long-term relationships is better and better quality, and lower and lower costs.
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It is important that an aim never be defined in terms of a specific activity or method. It must always relate to a better life for everyone.
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'Quality' means what will sell and do a customer some good - at least try to.
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Whenever there is fear, you will get wrong figures.