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The field of quality has its roots in agriculture. Early this century in Britain, R.A. Fisher conducted statistical research to assist farmers in understanding how to optimally plant and rotate crops. This work subsequently inspired Walter Shewhart at Bell Laboratories, whose work subsequently motivated W. Edward Deming to devote his life to the teaching and improvement of quality methods. Arguably, Deming has become the best-known 'guru' of quality. Both Deming and Juran could find no interest in quality methodologies in the U.S. before World War II. However, both statisticians were invited to Japan as consultants to 'spread the word' about quality. In Japan, they found a receptive audience for their ideas. The Japanese fully embraced the concept of quality and its methodologies, and commenced to integrate these concepts into their industrial base. The results are well-known; the improvement in quality of products in Japan during the post-war period due to the revolutionary ideas of Deming and Juran may ultimately be viewed as legendary by historians who study quality.
In the 1970s, the car industry began feeling the effect of Japanese quality products. The first reaction of the American car manufacturers was to limit the imports of Japanese cars, then to blame them for not taking more American cars (adding to the trade deficit), and even resorting to scare tactics for those who bought Japanese cars. The parking lots of the major car companies were a dangerous place for anyone with a foreign made car! It is interesting to note that the supervisors' manuals of 1955 included all the tools of quality improvement we teach today, but the employees believe that measuring production and quality was a means of manipulating the employees. Unions would not allow this type of activity.
Over the years many other companies began to understand the value of quality improvement. Some went on to win the Baldridge Award for Quality, some became ISO certified, some even won the Deming Prize! However, many are still 'in the dark' about the value of this way of thinking.