List Deming’s Fourteen Points

The 14 points for management were first proposed by Dr. Deming in his book, out of the crisis (“Dr. Deming’s 14 Points for Management”, 2017). These points are a collection of philosophical guidelines and programmatic principles. The aim of these points is to improve the effectiveness of the management processes for maximum quality achievement. These points can be used by management of an organization to promote an organizational culture in which all the employees feel empowered and responsible and work towards the achievement of the collective goal or organizational excellence. Following is a detailed account of the fourteen points presented by Dr. Deming. I would try to explain these points in the current organizational context while keeping the spirit of the points intact.

1. This point is related to creating constancy of purpose: This is to stay ahead in the business by a constant improvement in the product or service to attract more customers and achieve high quality. It is difficult to make loyal customers without constant improvement in the quality.
2. Adopting to new philosophy: Businesses need to understand that new philosophies of business are introduced which may be better than the old ones. Businesses should be open to accept these philosophies and apply them in their processes.
3. Ceasing dependence on inspection to achieve quality: Inspections on constant basis may be required if there are any doubts about the quality of the product. It is better to develop better products in the first place so that these constant inspections can be avoided.
4. End the practice of awarding business on price alone: Instead minimize total cost by working with a single supplier. This point stresses on the importance of looking for a single supplier whose price may be high compared to others, but that supplier never compromises on the quality.
5. Improve constantly and forever every process for planning, production and service: improvement should not be something that is done once in a while. It should be constant. Customer feedback could be important in the delivery of the final product with the highest quality while to improve the internal operations, the employees of the organization should be taken on board.
6. Institute training on the job: Employees may not be able to perform their duties with their full capacity if they are not trained to perform their duties. Regular training programs may be conducted to add quality to the human resource.
7. Adopt and institute leadership: Leadership should not be termed as a born quality that cannot be improved further. Instead leadership is a quality that can be built in different employees and can be improved with experience and institutionalization.
8. Drive out fear: Fear is a negative emotion. Fear can be found in different employees due to different reasons. For example any uncertainty at job can induce fear in the employees. If employees are not properly trained on job, they would fear the successful completion of their duties. It is important to address all kinds of fears and try and remove them.
9. Break down barriers between staff areas: Different departments may be working efficiently on their own, but once they are required to work with each other, thing may start to go wrong. Different departments should be enabled to work effectively while interacting with each other.
10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the workforce: usually there are many slogans popular within the organizations depicting commitment to quality, the quality that actually does not exist. These slogans should be eliminated and actions should be made to speak louder than words.
11. Eliminate numerical quotas for the workforce and numerical goals for management: Goals should not be to meet numerical targets and dates. They should be realistic and achievable by the employees.
12. Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship, and eliminate the annual rating or merit system: Employees should be treated with dignity and respect. Their needs must be identified and any form of discrimination should be removed from work.
13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone: The employees should be encouraged to acquire any technical and theoretical skills that could add quality to their performance.
14. Put everybody in the company to work accomplishing the transformation: The policy of the management should be that of inclusion rather than exclusion. All employees should be taken on board towards the achievement of common goals.