Delayering has spread to the public sector with the US Army going to a team‐based structure in one of its R&D organizations. This organization has wrestled with many issues concerning team effectiveness, quality management, and customer satisfaction during this delayering process. Beginning...

Discusses the techniques used by Tracor Aerospace, award winning supplier to the US military. Features examples of control charts and graphs used at Tracor. Looks at factors such as Tracor’s route to continuous improvement. Considers elements such as leadership, strategic planning, and...

The landscape for doing business in America is marked by products liability litigation. Americans have gained a reputation for being extraordinarily litigious. While the existence of any products liability "crisis" is the subject of heated debate, the simple fact remains: potential legal...

Notes that professionals in education have learned from those in industry with regard to quality management concepts. Suggests that, with regard to quality concepts in universities, there are four main issues, including aspects such as incorporation of quality concepts in the curriculum and...

Describes the reaction of Dr. Joseph Juran, a recipient of the US National Medal of Technology, to winning the award, and his views on the relationship of quality to technology. Discusses the significance of awards and what outcomes recipients of national awards can expect. Considers how the...

Based on the idea that promoting standardization will encourage the international exchange of goods and services, ISO 9000 is a series of internationally accepted standards which companies use to develop quality management systems and quality improvement processes. It has fast become a...

American industry has been challenged from goods coming from abroad. Once pre‐eminent in quality in the 1940s and 1950s, US companies can no longer stand complacent while their market share erodes in the face of foreign competition, especially from Asian companies. To see how American industry...