The
man behind the Fishbone Diagram and Quality Circles, Kaoru Ishikawa
is known for being the Japanese leading contributor to quality
management. Ishikawa is an applied chemistry graduate of Tokyo
University. His career relating to quality management and
standardization started in 1950’s where he became a member of the
editorial board of Quality Control Foreman and became the chief
executive director of Quality Control Circle Headquarters at the
Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers(JUSE). He also became an
editor of two books about quality circles while in JUSE.
The
Fishbone Diagram is simply a diagram which shows the causes of a
certain event/outcome(with the drawing forming a fishbone). Ishikawa
believed that quality is achieved when the root cause/s of the
problem/s encountered are identified. It is only through this way
when the appropriate solution like quality improvement will be
applied to address the real problem.
On
the other hand, Ishikawa also introduced to the Japanese community an
approach to quality improvement which involves participation of
members of an organization who will meet up to discuss workplace
observations and improvements. Ishikawa believed that although this
kind of approach, known as quality circle, is not the ‘main’
factor in improving quality in work, but with right top end
management commitment, continuous quality improvement is still
achieved. Through quality circles, the lives of people/employees will
also be enriched and be improved. Lastly, Ishikawa also believed that
the formulation and constant evaluation and revision of standards
contribute to quality management.
In
general, quality for Ishikawa refers to accomplishing improvement
through continually seeking the causes of an event or a problem.
Through this, appropriate solutions involving quality management and
improvement, formulation and evaluation of standards will be suitable
to address the main problem.
Sources:
(n.d.)
Quality Circles. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from
http://www.vectorstudy.com/management_theories/quality_circles.htm
(n.d.).Kaoru
Ishikawa: One Step Further. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from
http://www.skymark.com/resources/leaders/ishikawa.asp
(n.d).
Kaoru Ishikawa .
Retrieved November 19, 2012 from
http://www.qualitygurus.com/gurus/list-of-gurus/kaoru-ishikawa/
(n.d).
Kaoru Ishikaw. Management
Gurus. Retrieved November 19,2012 from
.http://www.vectorstudy.com/management_gurus/kaoru_ishikawa.htm
