creating change “above the line”

Peter began by sharing the birth story of the Quality Management Revolution, fathered by W. Edwards Deming in the 1950s. Deming first successfully pushed his transformational ideas into Japan’s business culture, resulting in the implementation of Japanese quality programs that later were emulated by American car companies. And while these quality programs had an overall positive effect on car companies, in Deming’s mind these initiatives never led to fundamental change that could truly revolutionize future ways of thinking and operating. They never created change “above the line” – that is, truly fundamental change.