Profiles in Quality: Learning from the Masters

For anyone interested in learning more about the various quality philosophies - from executives to students - this book offers a glance at the contributions of each of the quality gurus and methods for bridging the chasm between theory and practice. By tracing the history and development of the quality movement, it concisely compares and contrasts each theory and places it in a modern context.

The author takes these philosophies one step further by synthesizing them into a uniform effort called "The Rings of Management." Composed of four areas, this revolutionary idea confirms the importance of:

* Fostering an atmosphere for continuous quality improvement.
* Establishing and communicating a vision of the company's long-term strategy.
* Utilizing tools for the improvement and innovation of processes,products, and services.
* Developing teamwork, leadership, and empowerment to enable all employees to become managers of their own processes.

This powerful and practical approach gleans the best from the world's great quality theorists and offers an edge in today's dynamic business environment.