Deming in Japan, 1950-1965 (#23)

In the series of research papers we started in 2008, this is the 4^th volume dedicated to the history of organizational leadership. Our 1^st such paper, Heroes of Leadership, from 2013, covered the greats of our field, which of course included W. Edwards Deming (1900-1993). The paper has been our most widely read so far. Two other papers on the history of management, published in 2021, traced progressive, contemporary organizational thinking back to Mary P. Follett (1868-1933): The first of the papers identified the Follettian school of management, in which Deming has played a preeminent role.

In this paper we pursue a biographical, and photographic approach to BetaCodex thinking for the first time. W. Edwards Deming lends himself to such an approach more than other “Heroes of Leadership”, for several reasons. Firstly, his own research and practical work unfolded over the course of 10 decades, with visual material available from all periods of his life – from the 1900s straight to the 1990s. What’s more: Deming the management guru impacted organizations in countries as diverse as Japan, the US and elsewhere, as a writer and teacher at many institutions, but also as a practicing consultant, starting in 1946 (when he left government services) and until his passing in 1993. His work in Japan during the 1950s and 1960s stands out: Deming contributed to the dramatic turnaround of post-war Japanese industry, and their rise to a world economic power. His role as an architect of Japan’s post-World War II industrial transformation is regarded by business schools and economists as one of the most significant achievements of the 20th century.