ABSTRACT

The search for quality in American board rooms, offices, and factories these days is tortuous and often daunting. The word quality is everywhere on people’s lips. Businesses search for true quality in their products and services. Customers are demanding quality and costly warranties. Workers are in quality improvement classes and cross-functional discussion groups, talking about how to achieve improvements in quality. Arguments have developed over what quality is, what its measures are, and how much it costs.