Articles by Jim L. Smith

As you may have realized by now, I have a significant interest in the “human side of quality” and have written about this subject on many occasions. This topic is still on my mind, so here is some free investment advice for the future.

Continuing to learn is fundamental to adding to our knowledge and understanding.

Was Joseph M. Juran or Philip B. Crosby right about the definition of quality? Is quality “fitness for use” or “conformance to requirements?” I’ve pondered this issue a lot and my simple response is yes, but only in the broadest terms. It is necessary to be more explicit.

Do you ever think about what it takes to be successful? Do you ever think other people are more successful because they are smarter, more "in the know" or better connected?

A few things happen to be consuming my time and they have given me pause to think.

The most important step toward success is having faith that you will succeed.

We, the members, stewards and professionals of quality, need to mentor others through practicing, teaching and executing quality in all we do.

When you’ve reached the goal that you have set for yourself, refocus and set another, further-reaching goal.

As quality professionals we continually find ourselves engaged in conversations asking, “What happens after Six Sigma and lean?”

During the past 30 years, quality has been a major area of contention for many companies. Companies with better quality products have historically had an edge in the marketplace. However, Dr. Juran and others have warned that a competitive strategy based on quality alone might not continue to be effective at capturing market share.