W. Edwards Deming and the Toyota Production System

A few days ago, Matt O’Keefe—Seven Cycles’ production manager—mentioned an online forum discussion about the merits of German versus Japanese motorcycles.  As one might imagine, it was a heated debate.  Somehow, the thread turned to W. Edwards Deming.

Chicken or the Egg

The commenter voiced the opinion—I’m paraphrasing—that Japanese quality and the Toyota Production System—TPS—would not exist, if not for W. Edwards Deming.  Basically, America is fundamentally responsible for Japan’s global leadership in high-quality manufacturing.  It’s an interesting comment; one with which many people would probably agree.

Matt brought up a good point that I had never really thought about before.  Would the TPS exist if not for Deming?  Was Deming the initial spark of TPS?

Can America somehow claim rights to Japan’s product quality success, and the fact that Japan eats U.S. lunch—Sliders™ and Blizzards™?—in the automotive world?  Does America have claim to some sort of hollow victory here?

The answer is no.  I won’t bore folks with a history lesson, but the timeline—in two simple steps—indicates the Toyota would have developed TPS on their own; the timing looks something like this:

::  1950:  The Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers—JUSE—sought out statistical process control—SPC—experts; JUSE saw significant value opportunity in SPC.  That same year, they brought Deming in to help train hundreds of Japanese managers.  JUSE also introduced the Deming Prize in 1950—an indication of the importance—and speed—with which the Japanese saw Deming’s teachings.
::  1981:  Ford first recruits Deming to help them with quality improvements.  Ford is one of the very first US companies to work with Deming.

It took the US more than 30-years to catch on to Deming and Toyota.  This 30-year gap, to me, is a strong indication that Toyota would have taken the statistical process control path that would ultimately lead to the Toyota Production System.  Toyota was looking for this path, they found it, they took it decades before any US company did, and they took it significantly farther than any other company.  Toyota would have taken this path even without Deming.  For example, two other influential Americans influencing Japan at about the same time were Walter Shewhart—one of Deming’s teachers—and Joseph Juran.  I’m certain that Toyota found value in these men’s ideas, and that Toyota could have developed TPS from these and other sources.

Deming IS Genius

In closing, I’ll let you in on a not-so-secret:  that Deming is in my top five American business thinkers for most influence on my views.  So, while I think Toyota would have taken the path they’re on, Deming’s individual contributions to manufacturing and business may be without peer.

Deming once said, "The worker is not the problem. The problem is at the top! Management!"  Wait a minute, that can’t be right.  Maybe the Americans were right after all—maybe Deming didn’t know what he was talking about…

Comments

[Jason]

Hey Rob, what are some of your favorite business books? Do any of Deming's make your list?

[Yoshi]

I have just read a handred pages. ( I am reading W.Edwards Deming in English now.)

[Yoshi]

German versus Japanese… That is funny. Sometimes people insist like, “America is the best. Japan is the best… Otherwise, Our peoples are the best…” Actually, when I started to live in the US, I used to think in daily life that Japanese products, service are the best and, and… But as I adapt myself in US, some parts of my idea have been changed slowly. Nationality and which country makes advance are not matters. Such an idea is caused by prejudice. “Prejudice is born from Ignorance.” I thought that I would keep being in blindness unless I learn this fact. We have given influence and been given influence about many things in the world, and how we think about those things and how we learn after that… That is more important.

[curiouscat]

Those interested in learning more about might be interested in: Deming on Management and Deming related posts on the Curious Cat Management Improvement blog.

[Brandon]

W. Edwards Deming did help Toyota with the Toyota production system, but TPS isn't a statistical method. TWI (training within industries), Shigeo Shingo, Taiichi Ohno, Henry Ford, US Supermarkets, and many others contributed heavily to TPS. Ford and GM and Chrystler still havent caught up, hence the major financial losses for the last few years. TPS is not just about quality, but it is an entire management system.

[charms for pandora]

well this blog is great i love reading your articles.

[Cheap Red Wing Shoe]

So cute! I already like you on FB and also get your posts on Google Reader. :)