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Apathetic about Quality: Truth and Change

Prefatory note:

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Prefatory note: There are five quality systems: (1) Deming systems thinking, System of Profound Knowledge and 14 points, (2) ISO 9000 and 14000, (3) lean manufacturing and lean enterprise, (4) Baldrige Award, and (5) Six Sigma. See eXpert Row, October 2003 Success and Excellence in Your Company, Part 5 for a description of each system.

April 14, 2004 -- I was recently involved in an interesting discussion about quality system acceptance in the printing industry. One of the participants observed that our industry's adoption of quality systems appears to be done on a hit-and-miss basis. She wondered why this was so, given the benefits that each of the quality systems provide. After all, what reasons could be made against implementing even a few of the elements of, for example, lean manufacturing  wouldn't any company want to gain the benefits that result from reducing waste?

Her question begs answers and here are some typical responses:


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