Abstract

The history of managing for quality extends for millennia. In ancient Rome, standardization was essential and included: a uniform measurement system; size normalization for manufacturing bricks and pipes; and building regulations. In the building yard of a Roman construction site, craftsmen shared and implemented ideas for quality improvement. From 16th-15th century B. C. Egypt and Babylon came clepsydras (water clocks) and sundials. These clocks were useful, though of low accuracy. Quality emerged in the innovation and complexity of their designs. In 17th-18th century France, the construction of ships required quality. Jean-Baptiste Colbert studied defects in naval ships; engineers supervised manufacturing activity in the ports; and selection of suppliers was based on factors such as delay, cost, and performance. In the late 20th century, strategic quality planning is integrating quality into companies' business activities. For the 21st century, all levels of education will offer quality courses and degree programs; there will be national and industrial quality indexes similar to the production and price indexes of today; policy makers will become more aware of quality; and quality specialists at the business level will see their professionalism enhanced by titles and national examinations. (This article is excerpted from A History of Managing for Quality, edited by J. M. Juran and available from the American Society for Quality Control , order number H0876.)