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Quality Is Still Free:
Making Quality Certain In Uncertain Times
McGraw-Hill (1979) |
At a story conference with McGraw-Hill one of the editors asked if I
were to write Quality Is Free again would I change any of the
philosophical aspects. I replied that they would remain the same although
I would be able to explain them better in light of the 17 years of
experience since that time. As part of this we thought that it would be
helpful to the reader if a new book were structured to discuss the work
and thought events that created this philosophy in the first place. I
could also include my new thoughts on measurement and evaluation as well
as a process grid I had been thinking about and the agenda of the Tough
Company. The result was the decision that I should go home and write Quality
Is Still Free. I suggested that it should begin with a review of some
original chapters of Quality Is Free and include a new preface
along with the old. After this exciting discussion, they all left me alone
to write it -- after giving me a publication date.
The book contains: the original preface from Quality Is Free and
a new one for this material; a brief review of Quality Is Free
content with an assessment of how it has fared over the years; a new grid
to use in measuring progress among those who install quality improvement
efforts; an autobiographically oriented part that explains where my
philosophy evolved; a discussion about the Tough Company concept; a
pragmatic look at the quality improvement process; and some case
histories. Hopefully, it is easy to read and provides the reader with a
solid base for increased understanding of what it takes to make quality
certain.
Chapter Content:
Revisiting "Making Quality Certain"
A discussion of how the principles of the original chapter had been
utilized during the past 17 years along with the slings and arrows I had
suffered by championing prevention. It includes a brief history of how
Japan came into enlightenment in the 1950s.
Making Quality Certain
The original chapter from Quality Is Free is reprinted intact. It
tells the story of installing quality management in ITT.
Revisiting "Quality May Not Be What You Think It Is"
One of the main comments in QIF had been the "erroneous
assumptions" of conventional wisdom that make quality such a
difficult thing to accomplish. They are very hard to stamp out as the text
relates. There is also a story of how a baking company executive changed
her organization's culture.
The Quality Management Process Maturity Grid
QIF built much of its understanding around the Quality Management Maturity
Grid. The purpose of that format was to provide management with an easy
way of determining their status in this area. This new grid lets them see
how they are doing when they are installing a quality improvement process.
The matrix is divided into Uncertainty; Regression; Awakening;
Enlightenment; and Certainty. It takes the cover off all the fad programs
that inflict us today. Each point of the matrix is examined in order to
assure understanding.
The Complete Transaction Rating
Getting the millions of transactions involved in the daily life of an
organization performed correctly is a massive task unless it is built into
the culture. The rating system described here lets management evaluate the
status of employees and suppliers. It shows individuals how to determine
their success easily.
How Concepts Originate
Where do ideas come from? Are they real or imagined? The purpose of
this section, and the next five chapters, is to relate the work and
personal experiences that produced my concepts of management. It begins in
this chapter with a review of the Absolutes of Quality Management and then
takes me quickly through work experiences at Crosley, Bendix, and Martin
before joining ITT in 1965.
ITT -- Setting Up To Make Quality Certain
Joining this large corporation in New York I was faced with the
problem of communicating quality management across 46 nations and what
became 400,000 employees. The details were covered in the Making Quality
Certain chapter. Here many of the background events are considered
including my almost accepting an offer from another company, which would
have been a big mistake.
ITT -- Applying The Concepts
I included many stories from the application of the "Absolutes"
inside ITT. It also talks about the first edition of The Art of Getting
Your Own Sweet Way. The chapter evolves into the principles that
formed the basics of writing Quality Is Free and setting up Philip
Crosby Associates.
PCA -- Creating A Role Model Company
An introduction to the development of PCA into a well-run, profitable
organization. It includes a comparison of PCA's operating plan with a list
that Warren Buffet provided in one of his articles. This chapter takes the
company from 1979 into 1982 when we were hit by a recession in the nation.
PCA -- The Experiences
Surviving the recession, developing hard materials, selling part of the
company to General Motors, and then taking the company public. During this
period I wrote several books at home in the evening, on trips, and
weekends. It is impossible to write in the office when you are the boss.
PCA -- Growing
Suddenly we found ourselves with a company that was an international
activity doing business all over. We had to manage the growth, and orient
new employees properly and train people all over Europe and Asia. At this
time we were approached with several merger opportunities. This chapter
discusses the origin of many of our operational concepts and deals with
the creation of four books: The Eternally Successful Organization;
Leading: The Art Of Becoming An Executive; Let's Talk Quality; and
Completeness: Quality For The 21st Century. It also discusses the
merger of PCA with Proudfoot, and my retirement to found Career IV.
The Quality Improvement Process Revisited
A new look at the steps I laid out some years ago for an organization to
use in orienting itself to the quality process. Each of these contain real
actions that the management team can take as it installs the culture of
defect prevention.
The Tough Company
What are the objectives of an organization that wants to be successful
regardless of what is going on out in the world? Whether faced with boom
or bust, they must grow and prosper. They must not become distracted, they
must not become distanced from their customers, suppliers, or employees. A
case history of discussion with a CEO and his management group is included
to make the point. This is an interesting concept.
Make Certain
The introduction to this chapter explains how Make Certain came about. The
original chapter from Quality Is Free is included because it
contains all the information necessary to implement the Make Certain
approach.
Epilogue
A brief view of my opinions and experience about the current situation in
the world of quality management, particularly overseas.
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