"That's all window dressing. That's not fundamental. That's not getting at change and the transformation that must take place. Sure we have to solve problems. Certainly stamp out the fire. Stamp out the fire and get nowhere. Stamp out the fires puts us back to where we were in the first place. Taking action on the basis of results without theory of knowledge, without theory of variation, without knowledge about a system. Anything goes wrong, do something about it, overreacting; acting without knowledge, the effect is to make things worse. With the best of intentions and best efforts, managing by results is, in effect, exactly the same, as Dr. Myron Tribus put it, while driving your automobile, keeping your eye on the rear view mirror, what would happen? And that's what management by results is, keeping your eye on results."
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Businesspeople from the United StatesEducators from the United StatesMathematicians from the United StatesStatisticiansBusiness theorists from the United States
Original Language: English
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The Deming of America, Documentary broadcast on the PBS network (1991)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming
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W. Edwards Deming
William Edwards Deming (October 14, 1900 – December 20, 1993) was an American statistician, college professor, author, lecturer, and consultant, known for his work in the field of quality management.
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