What Is Total Quality Control?: The Japanese Way (Business Management) [Paperback]

Kaoru Ishikawa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1991 | Series: Business Management

This work describes the sort of quality control techniques that have helped Japanese businesses to produce higher-quality goods at much lower cost. It shows how to create quality standards, achieve cost savings with the "Kanban system", overcome the 10 major blocks to quality control and set up quality circles. The methods described in the book claim to help increase profits, reduce labour strife and improve relations while also achieving almost 100% defect-free production.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Japanese (translation) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall Trade (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 013952441X
• ISBN-13: 978-0139524417
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #531,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Guru - leading Japanese contributor to quality management., July 26, 2005

By 

Carlos F. Pola Torroella (Eagle pass, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What is Total Quality Control? the Japanese Way (Hardcover)

This was the first book I read on quality a long time ago and stills on my bookshelf.

Ishikawa insisted that Total quality means everyone contributes but in teams rather than as an individual, and went on to coin the phrase that quality was a thought revolution and based on the "respect of humanity". Maintaining that building a quality culture was a slow process easily destroyed by too rapid an implementation and that collecting and analysing factual data was the essence of quality control.

Like others, Ishikawa believed that quality begins with the customer and therefore the essence of any improvement is based on understanding that customers needs, aspirations and reactions. Clear and distinct clarity was needed in a specification to cover any relevant condition such as humidity, temperature and feel. He also pointed out that customer complaints rather than being a criticism was a vital quality improvement opportunity to be actively sought out.


Ishikawa built on Feigenbaum's concept of total quality and suggested that all employees have a greater role to play, arguing that an over-reliance on the quality professional would limit the potential for improvement. Maintaining that a company-wide participation was required from the top management to the front-line staff. As every area of an organisation can affect quality, all areas should study statistical techniques and implement as required with internal and external Quality Audit programmes. Going on to name areas such as engineering, design, manufacturing, sales, materials, clerical, planning, accounting, business and personnel that can not only improve internally but also provide the essential information to allow strategic management decisions to be made concerning the company.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the alpha to Omega !, November 6, 2004

By 

Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What is Total Quality Control? the Japanese Way (Hardcover)

Ishikawa makes a careful and intense analysis about the meaning of the Quality Control . Its reading is ver interesting and passionate . It is a fundamental tool for all those managements who really want improve their productivity in their respective work places .
A must for you to have it .

5.0 out of 5 stars School Life Saver!, November 4, 2010

By 

N. Pach (Cape Cod, MA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What Is Total Quality Control?: The Japanese Way (Business Management) (Paperback)

Found this book while desparately looking for material for a term paper. Found it on Friday, had it by Tuesday in plenty of time for inclusion in my paper. A good source of information related to Kaoru Ishikawa's work in the field of Quality Management.