ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The last chapter presented some of the emerging new quality technologies. However, there is a great deal more than technology involved in reaching world-class quality levels. By now it is no secret that the Japanese are major-league competitors in the international marketplace. Equally well known is the fact that this position came about partly as a result of the superior quality of Japanese goods. Since this superiority encompasses a broad range of products, from microelectronic devices to heavy industrial machinery, it seems likely that Japanese manufacturers as a group are doing something noteworthy. This chapter explores the way in which the Japanese approach quality.
