Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M.

Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

Retracing Dr. Jurans Contribution Toward Japans Quality Innovation

-In Commemoration of Dr. Joseph M. Jurans PassingDr. Noriaki Kano
Professor Emeritus
Tokyo University of Science
It was at the seminar on Managerial Breakthrough in 1966 that I first listened to the lecture of Dr.
Joseph M. Juran. While I have had several opportunities to listen to his lectures at conferences
or seminars afterwards, Dr. Juran came to recognize myself at the second International
Conference on Quality Control (ICQC) in 1978, which was held in Tokyo. The stirring moment
arrived on the final day of the conference after my presentation with regard to the Comparative
Study of Quality Control between Japan and the Western Countries, caught Dr. Jurans eye and
brought him to make mention of my presentation during his concluding review of the conference.
I was taken good care of by Dr. Juran after this event through visiting Dr. Jurans office in New
York and Connecticut as well as his house by invitation. I was very surprised to hear this news of
Dr. Jurans passing as he seemed very well when I made a visit to deliver him at home in New
York with the Testimonial Plaque of Appreciation from the JUSE Board of Directors for half a
century long contribution to the innovation on Japans Quality Management, taking advantage of
his 100th birthday in April, 2005.
I am certain it is the contribution toward the Quality Innovation of Japanese products that Dr.
Juran was most proud of in his life. A Century of Juran, the birthday party to celebrate Dr.
Jurans 100th year was held at Stanford, in the State of Connecticut in May, 2005, where Dr.
Juran, who called himself Architect of Quality, made a speech of which a significant part related
to Japan. Similarly, there were a number of guests speeches of appraisal to Dr. Juran that were
related to Japan.
Dr. Kozo Koura(2004) JSQC(Japanese Society for Quality Control) News, No. 253 in Japanese

Attached Chart at the end of this article (also curved on the right part of the above mentioned
Plaque) is the ordered assembly of the major contributions of Dr. Juran toward Japans Quality
Innovation. According to the records of JUSE, Dr. Jurans first visit to Japan was in 1954. I could
imagine his trouble in crossing the Pacific at that time by islands hopping with a propeller aircraft.
Although I feel that I am too young to retrace Dr. Jurans contribution toward Japans Quality
Innovation, let me do this thanks to his special kindness to me. But what I am writing in the below
is just a part of what he did for Japan. It will require a significant amount of time until research

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

into the valuation of Dr. Jurans role in the history is established

1. Introduction of Quality Control as a Management Tool
It is widely known that Japans efforts in Quality Control were started legitimately in 1950 by the
lecture of Dr. W. E. Deming on Statistical Control of Quality sponsored by JUSE.
Dr. W. E. Deming (1952) Elementary Principles of the Statistical Control of Quality, JUSE, in Japanese

On the other hand, Dr. Juran, based on actual case studies of American companies where he
made consultations, taught us the general principles of quality with wide-ranging contents
including Quality Management, Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance, which are the
cores of the todays Company-wide Quality Management (TQM) in Japan.
Dr. J. M. Juran(1955)

Dr. J. M. Jurans Lecture Transcript, JUSE, pp. 1-375, in Japanese

Dr. J. M. Juran(1956)

Succeeding with Quality Control, JUSE, pp.1-525, in Japanese

While we learnt from Dr. Deming how to apply statistical methods, mainly control charts to
production process control, we learnt from Dr. Juran how to use statistical methods to solve
quality problems like reduction of chronic problems leading to quality improvement, in addition to
Quality Control as a Management tool mentioned above.

Dr. Juran asked in a company, Do you need something for business and then introduce
quality control as its mean? Or, do you introduce it because you know the existence of a
powerful tool such as statistical method and then introduce it to be useful for something on
business? and then commented, We can find the both cases also in U.S. but the former is
appropriate.

[Dr. Eizaburo Nishibori(1954)What we learn from Dr. Juran,Hinshitsu Kanri (Statistical

Quality Control), JUSE, Vol.5, No.8, p3, in Japanese]

During the first lecture in 1954, Dr. Juran criticized the quality control which had been
practiced in the limited part of an organization by means of statistics, and induced quality
control to be implemented across all organizational activities from the standpoint of
management. Having created the word, Juran Sensation, this was indeed a milestone in
developing Japans Quality Management up to now, and triggered to frame quality control by
total participation or company-wide quality control.

[Koichi Oba(1966)Dr. J. M. Juran, QC Circle

activities and ZD activities, Hinshitsu Kanri(Statistical Quality Control), JUSE, Vol.17, No.6, p25-28, in Japanese]

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

2. The Pareto Chart Was Devised by Dr. Juran: Introduction of Case

Studies on How to Reduce chronic Defects
The most widely-utilized tools among those in quality world are
probably the Pareto Chart and the Cause and Effect Diagram.
(also known as the Fishbone Diagram or the Ishikawa Diagram)
Among these two, the number of people who know the Pareto Chart
was initially proposed by Dr. Juran have drastically decreased in
recent years while it is well known that Cause and Effect Diagram
was proposed by Dr. Ishikawa.
The Pareto is named after the Italian Economist, Vilfredo Pareto
(1848-1923) who is known for his study of income distribution.
Dr. Juran called a principle of Vital few and Trivial many as the
Pareto Principle because the cumulative curve of frequency
distribution by quality defects does have a shape similar to that of
income distribution Pareto revealed.
In response to Dr. Jurans article (1975a) of Pareto, a motion to
rename the principle to the Juran Principle was proposed. Dr.
Juran(1975b) responded that

I hope I may be pardoned for suggesting that such a change in

name, if it comes to pass, await my journey to the Great Beyond. I
hope I may also be pardoned for hoping that this journey will be
delayed for some decades to come.
and then the discussion was left over.
Dr. J. M. Juran(1975a) "then and now in quality control, Quality Progress, ASQC,
May, pp.8-9
R. B. F. Schumacher(1975) ibid, September, p3,
H.A. France, B. J. Mandel, Dr. J.M. Juran (1975b), ibid, December, p.7

I tried to make this happen in the event of Dr. Jurans 100th year
celebration, but I had to give it up without being able to receive
consent from Dr. Juran.
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Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

I am thinking to make a proposal to change Juran Principle and

Juran Chart from current Pareto Principle and Pareto Chart again in
the near future according to Dr. Jurans wish of over a quarter
century ago.
In Japan in the beginning of 1950s, improving quality with statistical methods was already
discussed as shown in the followings:
Dr. Eizaburo Nishibori(1950) Factor analysis with control charts, Hinshitsu Kanri ( Statistical Quality Control),
JUSE,. Vol.1, No.1, pp.6-15
Genichi Taguchi(1951) Notes on design of experiment (1) Hinshitsu Kanri ( Statistical Quality Control), JUSE,.
Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 261-266

As regards the procedure for improving problems, Prof. Kaoru Ishikawa(1954) started to discuss
it:
nd

Prof. Karoru Ishikawa (1954) The 2 Lecture: Analysis of Process 3, Hinshitsu Kanri (Statistical Quality Control),
JUSE, Vol.5, No.2, p 102-106 (in Japanese)

However, there was a strong tendency to try to solve problems by means of a single tool,
together with the atmosphere that using rather theoretically higher level of statistical methods
was the more worthwhile
In such a situation, Dr. Juran demonstrated with actual case studies that the reduction of chronic
defects, or quality improvement can be achieved by using a combination of tools such as Pareto
chart, line graph, pie chart, control chart, scatter diagram (correlation), stratification (contingency
table), DOE and so forth. After the lesson of Dr. Juran, the importance of perception gradually
changed to solve problems with appropriate tools rather than whether the tools used were high
or low.
Later on, Japan was successful in standardizing the problem-solving procedure with
combinational use of basis QC tools which Komatsu Ltd. developed and named QC Story in
1964.
Quality Control Section, Production Engineering Department, Awazu Plant, Komatsu Ltd(1964) Manual for
Smoothing QC Circles Administration, Hinshitsu Kanri ( Statistical Quality Control), JUSE, Vol. 15, No.4,
pp.60-69 (in Japanese)

Since then, tremendously many number of quality improvements has been conducted all over
the Japanese plants and Japan has gained the good reputation of made in Japan. When we
discuss this success, we cannot forget to refer to the contribution of Dr. Juran as well as

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

Japanese pioneers including Nishibori, Taguchi, and Ishikawa.

3. Influence to Establish the PDCA Circle as Management Circle
I assume there are a significant number of people who mix up the PDCA Cycle(used to be
called as PDCA Circle) and the Deming Cycle(used to be called as Deming Circle).

The

former is illustrated as a circle with the four steps such as plan, do, and check and act (used to
be called as action) while the latter is illustrated as a circle with the four such as design,
production, sales, and survey/service. Let me clarify how they were born and how different they
were by tracing the lecture notes of JUSE Quality Control Seminar Basic Course (QCS BC)
during 1950s which are kept in the JUSE library in addition to the other literature. QCS BC held
during 1950s, the two great quality pioneers of Japan such as Prof. Shigeru Mizuno and Prof.
Kaoru Ishikawa made the lectures of their overviews of quality control in the first week of every
course. Therefore, we can trace on the notes how their thinking about how to define Kanri. ( it
means management but was translated to control at that time) was changed.
# JUSE QCS BC was started in 1949 and is continued still today. This is six weeks course in total, one week
every month over 6 months. It is in principle held twice a year in both Tokyo and Osaka. For 59 years since
1949, 274 courses have been held and 32,631 trainees completed the course (by Ichiro Kotsuka, JUSE, April,
2008).
## The lecture notes are taken by the several note takers in each course who are invited to attend the course at
complimentary basis by JUSE and most of whom are mainly graduate school students supervised by
professors who make lectures in the course and. Many of todays quality leaders in Japan learned the theory
and practices of quality through this note taking experience in the course. I am one of them.

Through the above work, the roots of the Deming cycle and the PDCA cycle are clarified.
Noriaki Kano(2006)Birth and Historical Development of PDCA Cycle, Problem Solving QC Story and Task
th

Achieving QC Story, Proceeding of the 36 Annual Conference, JSQC, pp7-10, in Japanese

The summary is as follows:

(1) In 1952, Dr. Deming introduced, in his lecture in Japan, four steps Design Production
Sales Survey/Service which were classified out of Dr. Shewharts circle comprising three steps,
namely Specification Production Test.
Dr. W. A. Shewhart.(1939) Statistical Method from the Viewpoint of Quality Control, The Graduate School, The
Department of Agriculture, Washington, p. 45
Dr. W. E. Deming.(1950) Devote to Top Executives , Hinshitsu Kanri (Statistical Quality Control), JUSE,, Vol.1, No.7,
p.292, in Japanese

Prof. Ishikawa named it as the Deming Circle.

Prof. Kaoru Ishikawa (1952) General Theory of Control Charts, JUSE 5th QCS BC Lecture Note, No.1Note Taker:

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

Mamoru Aihara, in Japanese

(2) Prof. Shigeru Mizuno (1952a, 52b, 54, 56, 58, 59) put patient efforts in making the Deming
Circle as of steps of quality control to Management Circle as general management procedure
which can not only be applicable to Quality Control, but to any kinds of management. During this
process, he referred to Dr. Jurans definition of control which enabled him to designate the
management circle (todays Management Cycle) with the general management terms:
Plan Do Check Action as the management circle.
Dr. Shigeru Mizuno (1952b) Control Principles, JUSE QCS BC 6th No.1 Lecture NoteNote Taker: Tomoaki Sekine
(1956) ,ibid., 13th Lecture Note No.1, Note Taker:(Takanori
(1954), ibid. 9th, No.1 Lecture NoteNote Taker
Yoneyama )(1958) ibid., 16th Lecture Note No.1 (Note Taker: Jun-nosuke Uchiyama) (1959) , ibid. 18th , Lecture
Note No.1 (Note Taker : Hitoshi Kume), in Japanese

4. Impact on the Top management

Upon his second visit to Japan in 1960, Dr. Juran made lectures to top executives and senior
managers, titled Lectures in General Management---Special Lectures to Top Executives which
covers much broader issues than Quality Control. Along with significant emphasis on how to look
at Pareto chart into the Vital Few as a principle to make management decision, rather than as
an analytical tool, Dr. Juran made a profound impact on the audience with his lectures on New
Product Development, Product Manager, Profit Center, Breakthrough, Diagnostic Arm and
Steering Arm, Motivation Participation, Cultural Patterns etc.
Eizo Watanabe, Dr. Jurans lecture was full of references in terms of clarifying logically to

the exact point with actual examples that we were thinking to wonder in this way and that
way every day [ Moderator: Prof. Kaoru Ishikawa(1961), Roundtable Talk: After Listening to the Lecture of Dr.
Juran, Hinshitsu-Kanri (Statistical Quality Control), JUSE, Vol. 12, No.4, pp4-13, in Japanese]

5. Introduction of QC Circles to Overseas and Their Theoretical Interpretation

On his visit to Japan in 1966, Dr. Juran offered a seminar on Managerial Breakthrough. It was
my first opportunity to listen to his lecture, which was indelibly imprinted on my mind. Especially
when I heard the following explanation, I realized how important to be objective-oriented rather
than method oriented. It was like the scales fell from my eyes:

Transcontinental railroad companies have declined because they defined their mission to
make business in the coach on the rails that is means, dismissing the objective to make
business for transportation. If they conceived of accomplishing objective to transport as
their mission, they would have invested on land transportation by trucks or air transportation
that were just rising even in the prime of time for railways
6

(This is based on the memory of Noriaki

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

Kano but not on any literature.)

I was largely influenced in developing the theory of the Attractive Quality Creation by this Dr.
Jurans lecture as well as Mr. Takanori Yoneyamas story regarding developing Konicas
user-friendly cameras in 1970s.
While the seminar itself was very fruitful, I consider, from the standpoint of world history on
quality management, the biggest gain was that QC circle facilitators and members were able to
have Dr. Juran listen to their presentations as well as discuss QC circle activities which started
from 1962. We could tell that it gave a strong impulse to Dr. Juran from the following record of his
statement in the speech:

I had been engaging myself in quality control for the past 40 years, I have never had an
opportunity to watch case study presentations by the operational site workers like this
afternoon

[Dr. Juran (1966) To all involved in Japanese QC Circles, Hinshitsu-Kanri (Statistical Quality

Control), JUSE, Vol. 17, No.6, pp25-28, in Japanese]

I was supervised by Prof. Ishikawa in the University of Tokyo as a graduate student at this time. I
remember that Dr. Ishikawa excitedly spoke about the relationship between Dr. Juran and QC
circles frequently at his seminar. Dr. Jurans visit to Japan gave full confidence and pride to QC
Circle facilitators and corporate executives.
After his visit to Japan in 1966, Dr. Juran gave a lecture at the annual conference of the
European Organization for Quality Control (EOQC, todays EOQ European Organization for
Quality) in Stockholm with regard to stories on the QC Circles seen in Japan. The lecture invited
so many questions that a special session to entertain was hurriedly set up. In the following year,
Dr. Juran contributed the article titled The QC Circle Phenomenon to Industrial Quality Control
[Todays Quality Progress, a journal published by the American Society for Quality Control
(ASQC: Todays ASQ American Society for Quality)]. In addition to introducing QC Circles, this
article touched upon the relationship between the corporate environment and the culture where
QC Circles were founded.
Dr. J. M. Juran(1967)The QC Circle Phenomenon, Industrial Quality Control (Todays Quality Progress),
American Society for Quality Control, Vol.23, No.7, pp. 329-336

As this article was confined to the phenomenon, I guess that Dr.Juran might have some
difficulties on how to organizationally clarify QC Circles. However, several years later, he
overcame this difficulties and authored the following article:
Dr. J. M. Juran(1973) Management InterfaceThe Taylor System and Quality Control, Quality Progress, May,
p.42;

Management

InterfaceRedelegation

of

Quality

Planning,

ibid.

June,

p.33;

Management

InterfaceInspection Returns To Its Origins, Ibid. July, p.34, 48; Management InterfaceThe Motivation To

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

Meet Quality Standards, Ibid. August, p.41, 49; Management InterfaceThe Quality Staff Specialist An
Emerging Role, Ibid. November, p.36, 40; Management InterfaceThe Emerging Quality Control Department,
ibid. December, p.31-32;

In this article, he pointed out that the premises behind the Taylor system have become
increasingly obsolete and discussed the general organizational theory for quality function and
quality motivation where QC circles were referred to. I think that this article is one of his
masterpieces and I have suggested many young scholars to read this.
Through the discussions raised and the articles contributed by Dr. Juran, the movement of QC
circles was strengthened on organizational aspect and grown up with the lofty philosophy. This
philosophy was input to the following two books
The fundamentals of QC Circles (1970) and How to Operate QC Circle Activities (1971)
that were edited by the QC Circle Headquarters and published by JUSE and have worked for
disseminating QC Circles activities as something like a Bible of QC Circles thereafter. We can
say that Dr. Jurans lecture and article had a major influence on the internal minds of all
concerned with QC circles deeply, leading to these publications.
6. Introducing the Japanese Quality Control to the World
From the late 1970s when Japan overcame the oil crisis to join one of the advanced countries,
Dr. Juran often used a chart that Japan caught up with the Western countries around 1975 and
the Western counties tried to rally back. I regarded this chart with anticipation to encourage
Western countries, and of continuous efforts to Japan, being unguarded after becoming an
economic giant.
Editorial Secretariat (1982) Summary of Special Lecture by Dr. Juran- Sign of Response of the West,
Hinshitu Kanri (Statistical Quality Control), JUSE, Vol. 33, No.2, p78

7Introduction of Quality Management in Servicing and Something More

Dr Juran made a keynote speech in Special Symposium for Quality Control in Servicing held by
JUSE on his visit to Japan in 1974 and encouraged us to promoted QC also in service industries.
Dr. Yoshio Kondo(1988) Hundred QC Episodes, pp175-176, Japanese Standard Association (JSA)

In addition to the above, we obtained various insights about quality from him. Last but not least,
we cannot forget to refer to his impact on the quality movement in Japan through the publications
translated into Japanese including Quality Control Handbook
8. Dr. Juran as a Man
It was well known that Dr. Juran hated smoking and that only Dr. Ishikawa could smoke in front

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

of him, without scruple. I remember Dr. Juran did not drink much, either. In relation to health
management, Dr. Juran seemed to me to look after himself well and during the International
conference, I often saw him walking at a trot on the corner of the street with a beret on. The bow
tie was a trademark of Dr. Juan. He was respected by many Japanese top executives, scholars,
quality specialists and QC Circles members.
Dr. Juran was awarded in 1981, The Order of Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star from the
Showa Emperor of Japan for his contribution of many years to the development of quality
management in Japan.
In appreciation for Dr. Jurans guidance and leadership of many years, I sincerely pray for his
soul on this occasion.
Chart: Dr. J. M. Jurans Major Contributions to Japans Quality Revolution
1. Enlightened Executives on Quality Control as a Tool for General Management, 1954
Special lecture on Planning and Practices in Quality Control
- Special Courses for Executives, July 9-10, Hakone and Aug. 13-14, Wakayama
- Courses for Management, July 13-23, Tokyo and Aug. 2-12, Osaka
2. Emphasized Top Managements Role and Technological Innovation, 1960
Special Seminar by Lectures in General Management
- Special Courses for Executives, Nov 3-5, Hakone and Nov. 21-23, Nara
- Courses for Management, Nov. 7-18, Osaka and Nov. 28-Dec. 9, Tokyo
- Lecture on Technological Innovation and New Management, Dec. 12, Tokyo
3. Highlighted QC Circle Activities in contrast to Taylorism and also Introduced Managerial
Breakthrough, 1966
- Lecture on Leadership and QC Circles, The 14th QC Circle Kanto Branch Convention, April
20, Tokyo
- Dr. Juran autographed the Q flag with his message:
The QC Circle concept is on the road to World Quality Leadership!
A yellow flag with this transcription has been handed over to successive Presidents of the Kanto
Branch as its symbol, nicknamed Juran Flag
- Lectures on Managerial Breakthrough, April 2, Tokyo; April 23, Osaka; and April 28, Nagoya
- Top Management Course, April 25-27, Hakone

Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

- Management Course, April 18-22, Tokyo

4. Initiated Quality Control of Service in the World, Tokyo, 1974
The Symposium for Quality Control of Service, Oct. 23-25
- Dr. Juran's Seminar for Top Management
World Trend of Quality Problems and Role of Top Management, Nov. 1, Tokyo
- Dr. Juran's Seminar for Quality Managers
Role of Quality Control for Different Company Environment, Oct. 28-31, Tokyo
5. Lectured on Emerging Western Response, 1981, Tokyo
Special Lecture on Product Quality: The Emerging Western Response, Top Management
Conference, Nov. 25, Tokyo
- Nikkei Newspaper Panel Discussion: Japanese Quality Revolution and Its Western Strategy,
Nov. 24, Tokyo
- Special Lecture: Japanese Quality - Its Significance of the West and to World Trade, Nov. 26,
Tokyo
6. Keynote and Special Speeches at International Conferences, 1969, 78, 87, and 90, Tokyo
- Keynote Speech: Quality and Income,
International Conference on Quality Control, Oct. 22, 1969, Tokyo
- Special Speech: International Significance of the QC Circle Movement,
International Conference on QC Circles, Oct. 16, 1978, Tokyo
- Keynote Speech: International Cooperation to Solve Quality Problems,
- Technical Session Presentation: Japanese and Western Quality-A Contrast,
- Concluding Review at the Closing Plenary Session,
International Conference on Quality Control, Oct. 17-20, 1978, Tokyo
- Special Lecture: Managing for Quality-The Critical Variable,
- International Panel Discussion on Managing for Quality,
International Conference on Quality Control, Oct. 20-23, 1987, Tokyo
- Special Lecture: Worker Participation Developments in the USA,
- Special Lecture: The Evolution of Japanese Leadership in Quality,
International Conference on QC Circles, Oct. 24-26, 1990, Tokyo
- Lecture at International TQC Seminar, Oct. 29, 1990, Tokyo
7. Publication of Books authored by Dr. Juran and Translated into Japanese
- Dr. Jurans lecture on Quality Control: Succeeding with Quality Control, JUSE, Dec., 1956

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Eulogy to Dr. Joseph M. Juran by Noriaki Kano, April, 2008

- J.M. Juran: Quality Control Handbook, First Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1951

Quality Control Handbook Vol.1, JUSE, July, 1954
Quality Control Handbook Vol.2, JUSE, July, 1954
- J.M. Juran: Quality Control Handbook, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1962
Quality Control Handbook I-Quality Control for Management Innovation, JUSE Press, April, 1966
Quality Control Handbook II-Statistical Methods for Quality Control, JUSE Press, Oct., 1967
Quality Control Handbook III-Quality Control for Key Industries, JUSE Press, Oct., 1968
- J.M. Juran: Managerial Breakthrough, McGraw-Hill, Oct., 1968

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