Abstract

Management's commitment to employees and their focus on customers are keys to the organizational change that improves business systems. These concepts pervade the views of W. Edwards Deming, as expressed in his system of profound knowledge and his 14 points. Profound knowledge consists of understanding: systems, variation, psychology, and knowledge theory. Operationalizing these four interlinked components can be accomplished through Deming's 14 points. Constancy of purpose (point 1) is a prerequisite to the personal change (point 2) needed for acceptance of Deming's management theory. This is supported by leadership (point 7) that assures employee training (point 6) and education for self-improvement (point 13). For the business system to function well, its people must cooperate and communicate (point 9). Continuous improvement must not be impeded by slogans that substitute for knowledge (point 10) or by arbitrary goals (point 11). Employees need trust, pride in workmanship, and joy (point 12), as well as elimination of fear (point 8). Suppliers need a relationship built on systems thinking and trust, not merely on prices (point 4). Systems thinking also avoids mass inspections (point 3) while encouraging constant process improvement (point 5). These are the steps to commitment and action from top management (point 14). This article includes a sidebar on the plan-do-study-act cycle.