Expanded the used of statistical methods as a management tool to achieve higher quality at a lower cost

Introduced statistical quality control methods to Japanese industry and significantly contributed to Japan’s post-World War II economic recovery

Edwards Deming strengthened the world’s economy by improving Japanese industry. In the aftermath of World War II, the Japanese auto was not fully competitive with other global manufacturers in design and productivity. Aware of Deming’s work in developing statistical methods to evaluate industrial production, the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers invited Deming to Japan to teach courses on quality control. The implementation of Deming’s methods enabled Japanese companies to set new standards of quality that were acknowledged in the global marketplace. American automakers responded to increasing competition from Japan by incorporating Demings’ methods into U.S. production, resulting in a new relationship between management and workers. The significant increases in productivity and product quality resulted in lowered production costs. One industry analyst noted: “Deming teaches that the more quality you build into anything, the less it costs…because you design it in rather than inspect it in.”