• 2) Read the text and correct the given outline of it:

a) the state of American industry nowadays,

b) the Creamian chief,

c) the reason for the problems in American industry,

d) American management failed to recognize a new economic age,

e) the solution for getting out of the crisis,

f) the stories of two societies: one with abundance of everything, the other with no natural recourses.

4.16.3 How we can get back on course

• 1) Read the text and the statements. Put them in the order they are in the text:

a) there’s next to nothing worse than an unsolved problem,

b) therefore it is necessary to learn and live the management style based on the philosophy of W. Edward Deming,

c) his philosophy focuses on the never-ending improvement of all processes,

d) with higher quality and greater and greater price flexibility, you can capture the market,

e) but if you are not interested in a long-term commitment to learning growth and change you shouldn’t adhere to the Deming philosophy,

f) His philosophy is not just one of techniques that can be learned in a one day seminar or ingested in a two-hour reading.

Now that we have pointed out that the USA have a problem, you’re wondering what you can do about it. Probably part of the reason you didn’t want to acknowledge the problem in the first place was a fear of not being able to do anything about it; and let’s face it, there are very few things that are worse than an unsolvable problem.

However, there is a navigational chart that will get you back on course and guide you to your ultimate destination. Learning and living the management style of W. Edwards Deming will provide you with a holistic approach for management in which the organization is viewed as an integrated entity. It is a philosophical perspective from which a manager conducts the organization’s business on a long-term basis, a perspective that also provides guidance for day-to-day action. This philosophy is driven by the force of quality and focuses on the never ending improvement of all processes to improve quality. Dr. Deming’s philosophy plans for the achievement of a desired goal (e.g. increase profits, increase customer satisfaction, increase employment, etc.), but it doesn’t specify the goal to be achieved.

When Dr. Deming’s philosophy is accepted and lived, you can improve the processes of your system, which will necessitate less rework and will produce more quality goods for less cost. Your unit cost will decrease, and you will gain greater price flexibility. With higher quality and greater price flexibility, you can capture the market. When you capture the market, your demand goes up, your profit goes up, and you create new and more secure jobs. You will have funds for improvement, research and development, and employees. You’re probably reading this very skeptically and thinking, “Oh, this is another of those “quick fix” technique books that is good for a short period of time but doesn’t hold up over the long haul.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. Unless you are interested in a long term commitment to learning, growth, and change, you shouldn’t attempt to adhere to the Deming philosophy.

Dr.Deming’s philosophy is not problem solving, participative management, quality circles, just-in-time inventory, statistical quality control, lifetime employment, automation/robotics, or any other technique that can be learned in a one day seminar or ingested in a two-hour reading. It is a total view and way of organizational life that must be learned, relearned, and refined over time in a supportive environment. Then and only then can the tremendous benefits be reaped by the organization and by those in the system.