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Navan Chamber would like to thank Joseph Daly and the team at Fidentia-Norwalk for providing these book reviews. Fidentia-Norwalk can be contacted via their website, www.fidentia-norwalk.ie
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Book
Title: The Man Who Discovered Quality
Author: Andrea Gabor
Publisher: Penguin Books, 1990.
Review Date: 03/13/2006
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About
the Book:
Journalist Gabor tells the story of Deming, an American statistician and quality control expert who was invited by the Japanese to help them develop industry in the 1950s. Since then, Deming's principles--many the elements of the much-touted “Japanese management style'' -- have belatedly influenced American companies such as Ford, General Motors, and Xerox. Deming believes only by understanding and eliminating variation from work processes will managers have the knowledge they need to eliminate deep-rooted systemic problems.
Review:
“Succeeds in explaining the fundamental quality principles known as Demingism. Even for the lay reader the Deming approach is fascinating”. The Boston Globe
“The prevailing system of management is destroying our people – killing their intrinsic motivation, self-esteem, and curiosity to learn. Our recovery requires optimisation of the whole system. Andrea Gabor’s book is a good place to start” W. Edwards Demming
“The stuff of dramatic literature. Ms Gabor’s book is impressive . . . highlighting key principles while offering readers a scenic tour through the thickets of corporate decision making” The New York Times Book Review
About the Authors:
Andrea Gabor is the author of The Man Who Discovered Quality and Einstein's Wife. She has been a senior editor at U.S. News & World Report and a staff editor in corporate strategy and technology at Business Week. Gabor has taught at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and is currently a professor at Baruch College/CUNY. She lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.
Fidentia-Norwalk Opinion:
This is not a new book. It has been around since 1990 and still makes the lists of most influential business books published. In my opinion it is worth reading this book if only to understand the importance of this quote “profit in business comes from repeat customers. Customers that boast about your product or service, and that bring their friends back with them”.
But be under no illusions that it is an easy or compelling read – font size and writing style are a little dated now and make it awkward to read large tracts especially late at night (when inevitably I tend to do most of my reading). But like most good medicine it should be taken in small dollops, frequently, and allowed to be absorbed slowly.
Suggested by: Sammy Reviewed by Joseph Daly
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