When it comes to quality management theories, W. Edwards Deming's theory directly addresses new competitors in a global economy. “It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory,” said Deming, summing up his attitude toward business people who are inflexible in their ideas and practices. In his 1982 book "Out of the Crisis," Deming challenged American manufacturers to stop complaining about the challenge from Japan and change their practices to meet the threat of a new competitor.

His thoughts were distilled into Deming's 14 points of management. The Deming management method tries above all to minimize variation — businesses should adopt a method and then stick to it, implementing the Deming cycle of "plan, do, check, act" (PDCA): plan a process, implement it, assess it, then act on any necessary changes. Deming theory is still shaping business today, as any modern business manager can see in Deming management theory news and trends.

1. Do a quick study of the basics of Deming's theory.

2. Find products and events that provide information about Deming's theory of management.

3. See how a wide range of businesses are using Deming today.

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Get a grip on Deming's management theory

If you haven't read 'Out of the Crisis,' don't worry. There are plenty of places to brush up on the Deming method. The two most important pieces are the 14 points and the Deming Cycle (also called the Deming Wheel).

I recommend: 12Manage has a rundown of the 14 Points, and the Balanced Scorecard Institute illustrates the Deming Cycle. At Let's Talk Business, get an overview of Deming's work in Japanese manufacturing and how he recommended Americans apply his methods.

Make the most of Deming method events and products

There's a thriving Deming industry out there, testament to the relevance of Deming's theory. For a more dynamic experience than reading his books, go to a Deming quality event, or get Deming on video.

I recommend: The W. Edwards Deming Institute has a calendar of Deming conferences. The Deming Library has extensive video offerings to elaborate individual ideas, and ManagementWisdom.com has a full documentary on Deming's life and work called "W. Edwards Deming: The Prophet of Quality."

Hear from business people who are using Deming theories right now

As part of the move to Total Quality Management (though Deming did not use that phrase himself), Deming's theory is still on the cutting edge of business thinking. With his name known to just about everyone involved in making or moving goods, it's not hard to get real-life, real-time applications of Deming's management theory for any and every industry.

I recommend: The BlogCatalog has a continually updating list of Deming blog postings. At Thinking Managers, Edward de Bono and Robert Heller apply Deming to lean management thinking. Joe and Wanda on Management has two insightful posts on Deming, one addressing performance evaluations, the other on quotas. Finally, learn how the owner of an auto repair company applies Deming on a daily basis at Out of the Crisis.org.

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Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Deming's theories may seem so common sense as to be ridiculous, but in reality, many very simple management steps, such as creating a plan and following it before changing it, are routinely ignored by managers. The drive to innovation leads many companies to constantly change and update a plan rather than live with it, then fine-tune it with minor changes. For Deming, management requires patience and foresight, not constant action.

Dr. W. Edwards Deming's innovative quality management theories have greatly advanced the quality management process. Deming believed that inspecting and correcting defects after production was ineffective. He believed that, since it could cost as much to correct a defective product as it had originally cost to produce it, the quality issue was critical to address before production, rather than afterward.

Deming asserted that quality control issues arise from poor management. According to Deming theory, management's job is neither to assess employee output numerically (encouraging speed at the expense of quality) nor to inspect product quality after production, but rather to create a production process and company culture that encourage exceptional workmanship. Some ways Deming proposed to do this (from his 14 points of management) are these:

1. Share company goals with employees.

2. Drive out fear, create trust and raise employee morale.

3. Provide effective leadership.

4. Reduce conflict between departments.

5. Focus on quality rather than quotas.

6. Implement on-the-job training.

7. Work continually to improve quality and productivity.

8. Adapt to changing economic and industry needs.

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Build a thorough understanding of Deming theories and how they can benefit your company

Numerous websites provide valuable information about Deming theory. In addition to diagrams and summaries of Deming's principles, you'll find various videos and instructional materials that can help you develop the background knowledge and practical expertise to put Deming's theories to work for your company.

I recommend: The 12Manage website illustrates the Deming PDSA/PDCA Cycle, Deming's model for continuous quality improvement. The site also offers Deming's 14 Points of Management and his 14 Principles. These two lists can help you recognize the areas you need to change to put Deming's quality management theory to work for your company. The Deming Cooperative also offers videos and training materials to help you better understand Deming management theory. And ManagementWisdom.com provides an entire collection of e-learning course modules to help you thoroughly master Deming quality management principles.

Consult an expert to make the Deming management method a reality for your business

Consultants with knowledge and experience in the quality management theories of Deming can guide you in maximizing the benefit of his principles in your own company's unique environment.

I recommend: The contacts and consultants recommended by the Deming Cooperative provide guidance that's consistent with Deming theory, since all were friends, colleagues or students of Deming prior to his death. In addition, Langford International, Inc. offers consulting services, seminars based on Deming theory and other quality management products and information. Marcia Daszko & Associates also provides consulting based on her knowledge of Deming's theory.

Take advantage of tools and resources designed to help you make the most of Deming's theory

Widely available online tools and resources can help you more easily implement Deming's principles. Videos, flowcharts and links to numerous websites offering other Deming products, information and services let you choose the resources most valuable to your business.

I recommend: Management and Accounting Web (MAAW) provides various graphics of the Deming cycle. One is a helpful flow chart created by Francis and Gerwels which shows you specifically how to use the cycle to improve your company's business management processes. Deming Library videos from ManagementWisdom.com also help you apply Deming's principles to your business, serving as an excellent source of reference material to use in implementing your improved quality management program. This site also contains many helpful articles and links that you'll want to refer to again and again. And Curious Cat provides its list of Deming Connections, which link to various resources relating to Deming theory.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Never underestimate the value of Deming's management theory to your company. If your budget is small, take advantage of free information and tools available online and consider advancing to paid products, training or consulting services when they become more affordable to you.

The Deming quality management theory has been around since WWII and increased in popularity after people began to read his book, 'Out of the Crisis' first published in 1986. Deming went to Japan to restructure its economy after the war and despite a controversial reputation, Deming's management theory changed the face of American production forever.

Professor and statistician, William Edwards Deming was well qualified to teach and write about management and business planning. His management theory focuses on the team structure, the effectiveness of collecting data and responding to change. When considering Deming Management Theory Education and Training:

1. Know Deming theories provide solid foundations for quality management

2. Understand that Deming's 14 points of management are fundamental to application of his concepts

3. Grasp that businesses using management theories provide structure and direction to employees

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Learn about Deming theory and Deming's life to understand his management theories

The Internet abounds with information about the Deming management method. Understanding more about the man himself and the basic concepts behind his theories before attempting to apply them in the workplace is a smart move for the modern manager or business owner.

I recommend: The Management and Accounting Web hosts a great introduction to Deming, his work, his publications and links to more information. YouTube hosts a serious but compelling two part documentary on Deming information about Deming's theory of management, his work in Japan and his effect on American production.

Institute Deming's 14 points to create a more productive office

The only way to learn and institute Deming is to understand his core management concepts. His famous 14 points expound on the idea that an organization is a whole team, working together to make changes. It promotes leadership and on-the-job training and makes effective business management education for both the layman and business professional.

I recommend: Evolving Systems and The Deming Cooperative offer training videos that include a copy of Deming's four-day seminar in which he explains his 14 points in detail. The Deming Electronic Network explains the 14 points as well as introduces Deming's other well known 'System of Profound Knowledge.'

Learn more about the management theory of Deming from Deming

You can learn about the theory of Deming and his 14 points and quality management theories in the business college classroom, but courses dedicated strictly to Deming are rare. Since his passing, there is no chance of consulting with the professor or attending his seminars. Online resources provide affordable alternatives to the classroom lecture making learning more visually transferable to employees.

I recommend: The Richardson Company offers a number of training videos on Deming's theories, perfect for workshops and training sessions. The W. Edwards Deming Institute offers copies of Deming's own lectures for purchase.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A call to the local business college to discuss if and when they will discuss Deming and his theories may elicit an invitation to sit in on a lecture for free.

Deming is famous for his work in the US on production quality management during WWII, and also gained fame around the world for his involvement in Japanese industrial development after the war. Deming drew many of his principles from holistic management theories, like total quality management, which he developed while working in Japan. Deming is credited for his humanistic approach to management and the ease of applying his concepts. In order to utilize Deming's management theories, you will need to understand several key terms that illustrate his ideas.

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Total quality management (TQM)

Total quality management, or TQM, is the term for Deming's overall theory of management, which embraces the need to incorporate perspectives from all levels of industry, particularly workers, in order to improve a process. TQM has been utilized by the Japanese automobile industry in particular and is well known for the productivity increase that results from worker autonomy.

I recommend: MariosAlexandrou.com offers a concise definition of total quality management as espoused by Deming.

14 points of management

Deming's 14 points of management are an overall guiding framework for managers' roles within an organization as they attempt to achieve total quality management. These points embrace power sharing and the incorporation of multiple perspectives on quality and authority.

I recommend: Read the 14 points of management available from The W. Edwards Deming Institute.

Deming cycle

The Deming cycle, also known as the Deming wheel, is a management process involving four steps: planning the process, doing the process, studying or checking the process, and acting to improve the process. This cycle repeats so that improvements are continuously made, providing a more productive work environment.

I recommend: The Balanced Scorecard Institute offers a definition and diagram of the Deming cycle.

Red bead experiment

In his research, Deming conducted the red bead experiment in which workers used paddles to sort colored beads from a container. The experiment was designed to illustrate that performance of workers varies regardless of merit, that workers operate in a system beyond their control, and that it is the role of management to provide effective changes in the system when necessary.

I recommend: Management and Accounting Web offers a detailed overview of the red bead experiment and its implications for Deming's theory of management.

System of profound knowledge

Deming advocated a system of profound knowledge, which refers to the transformative knowledge allowing individuals to understand their own actions and judgments, and apply this knowledge to interpersonal relationships and system management. Profound knowledge is a holistic view of knowledge and how it is applied to human behavior.

I recommend: CarbonRational offers a definition of the system of profound knowledge developed by Deming.

Seven deadly diseases

Deming's concept of the seven deadly diseases or seven wastes of management was a list of activities that automatically decrease the effectiveness of management. These issues include an inconsistent purpose, emphasis on short-term profits, merit-based evaluation, high management turnover, managing by visible figures, excessive medical costs and excessive liability.

I recommend: Read extended definitions of Deming's seven deadly diseases from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.