Deming: a new philosophy or another voice?

Abstract

This article questions the widely held proposition that the management philosophy of W. Edwards Deming, with its focus on quality improvement and pragmatic thinking, is a new conceptual paradigm which renders previous management thought, particularly that represented by the scientific management concepts of Frederick W. Taylor, obsolete and wrong‐headed. A closer examination of the similarities between older management theories and those of Deming indicates that there is significant commonality. Deming has provided, not a radical new school of thought, but a complementary body of emphases that enrich our understanding of management rather than revolutionize it.

Citation

Washbush, J.B. (2002), "Deming: a new philosophy or another voice?", Management Decision, Vol. 40 No. 10, pp. 1029-1036. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740210452890