ABSTRACT
In 1980 the National Science Foundation (NSF) published a projection of job openings in science and engineering in the years 1978–1990. This NSF publication has been cited in Amstat News, The American Statistician, JASA, and in a variety of promotional materials that are aimed at luring students into the statistical profession. Note that the two most important (and reliable) methodologies in statistics are randomized experiments and sample surveys. In short, “statistical decision theory” is totally different from “ordinary decision theory.” Something alarming has happened to the United States of America since the 1970s: Her worldwide market has dropped by 50% in the areas of automobiles, medical equipment, computer chips, and consumer goods such as color TVs, cameras, stereos, microwave ovens, etc. Most experts on quality control do appreciate statistical methods as useful tools in this field. Crosby has a very rich array of arguments and examples to support his zero-defect philosophy.
