Quotes by W. Edwards Deming

The greatest waste in America is failure to use the abilities of people.


A system must have an aim. Without an aim, there is no system.


American management thinks that they can just copy from Japan—but they don’t know what to copy!


The System of Profound Knowledge provides a lens. It provides a new map of theory by which to understand and optimize that we work in, and thus to make a contribution to the whole country.


It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it – a costly myth.


The aim proposed here for any organization is for everybody to gain - stockholders, employees, suppliers, customers, community, the environment - over the long term.


There is no such thing as arrival exactly on time. In fact, exactly on time can not be defined.


How can she put forth her best efforts when no matter how carefully she works, the item will still be defective? If no one cares, why should she? In contrast, when defects are rare or nonexistent or well explained, she understands that the management are accepting their proper responsibility, and she feels an obligation to put forth her best efforts: they are now effective.


he that would run his company on visible figures alone will in time have neither company nor figures.


When one understands who depends on me, then I may take joy in my work.