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A 40-Year-Old Bone of Contention

Taking another stab at the definition of quality

Looking Back, Moving Ahead

A 40-Year-Old Bone of Contention

Taking another stab at the definition of quality

Looking Back, Moving Ahead
Ryan E. Day
Thu, 01/13/2022 - 12:00
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All articles in this series
Quality Digest Celebrates a Scrappy 40 Years
40 Years of Quality Digest
Deming Speech 1978: ‘Quick Review of Some New Principles of Administration’
Stepping Off the Cliff of Success
Quality 2022: Two Big Changes Ahead
Happy 40th, QD!
You Can’t Improve a Process If You Can’t Measure It
A 40-Year-Old Bone of Contention
The Ghost of Quality Future
What Advice Would You Give a Quality Rookie? Readers Respond.
Body

Quality Digest (QD) was born 40 years ago. Birthed as Quality Circle Institute (QCI), the organization was conceived as a consultancy focused on bringing the success of quality control circles at Lockheed to organizations that were beginning to awaken to the importance of employee involvement in the improvement process. But times change and ideas evolve, and QCI became QD to better represent the broader quality industry, especially the movement toward international standards. In fact, the very definition of quality, and its role in manufacturing and business, has been something of a bone of contention all along.

Definition of quality

One might assume the definition of quality to be a simple affair. Apparently, this is not the case. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
“Essential Meaning of quality = How good or bad something is, i.e.,
• Pollution affects air/water quality
• The restaurant serves food of high quality. [= the food at the restaurant is very good]
• The dress material is of poor quality. [= the dress material is not good]
A high level of value or excellence:
• Wine of quality [= very good wine]
• They offer quality at a reasonable price.”

 …

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