Deming's 14 points and where they apply
Here are the 14 points proposed by Deming and their classification according to the sectors of the organization most committed to this process of change.
Point 1. Create a constant purpose towards the improvement of products and services (Kaizen = Continuous improvement), assigning resources to cover long-term needs instead of seeking short-term profitability.
We believe that this point will specifically affect the manufacturing department within the production system and the sales and after-sales service departments within the marketing system. It can also affect other departments such as collections for example. This point indicates the need for constant improvement of the product and the services to the clients.
Point 2. Adopt the new philosophy of economic stability by refusing to allow normally accepted levels of delays, errors, defective materials and manufacturing defects.
This principle will affect all the systems of a company, all its departments. It is important that the entire company is concerned about compliance with this point.
Point 3. Eliminate dependence on massive inspections by requesting statistical tests inherent to quality in manufacturing and purchasing functions.
We believe that this point should apply mainly to the manufacturing department, since it is a way for the worker to find the faults as they occur and fix the problem alone. This will help speed up the process of making the product.
Point 4. Reduce the number of suppliers for the same item eliminating those who do not qualify by not providing quality evidence; that is, to end the custom of awarding deals only on the basis of price.
(In colloquial terms: "Cheap is expensive"). This principle is applicable to the purchasing department of a company. It represents a way to improve the quality of the final product and save time in fixing defects in the final product.
Point 5. Constant search for problems existing in the system in order to permanently improve processes.
Observing this principle we can realize that it is very important, it must be applied to all the departments of each management since it will allow to fulfill the accomplishment of all the tasks without having to go back in case of finding a problem, this will be solved as soon as it arises.
Point 6. Institute continuous training on the job. Develop and implement training plans and continuous improvement for personnel.
This point should also apply to the managerial parts of the company, it is important for the safety of employees. Feeling more empowered will help them perform their tasks better, feeling better about themselves. It is also important that they are updated in terms of the improvement of the methods to carry out their tasks that are emerging over time.
Point 7. Focus supervision on helping staff do their jobs better. Take immediate action regarding imperfections, maintenance needs, poor tools, or other conditions unsuitable for quality.
We believe that this principle applies specifically to area managers and the general manager of the organization. On many occasions, managers usually designate this job to one of the employees, who will choose it with the help of the human resources sector and who must have certain characteristics such as being recognized by their colleagues.
Point 8. Encourage effective, two-way communication and other means that eliminate fear throughout the organization and help people work together to serve the purposes of the system.
This point must be carried out by the manager with the help of the area managers and with the inevitable advice of the human resources system, which will function as a link and work with the employees to implement this idea without interference.
Point 9. Breaking the existing barriers between the company's departments by stimulating teamwork, bringing together efforts from different areas: research, design, sales and production.
This task is fully aimed at management, who will take care, as in the previous point with human resources, to promote this way of working and improving communication.
Point 10. Eliminate the use of numerical objectives, posters and slogans in which new levels of productivity are requested without giving the methods and providing the necessary tools and training.
The task of finishing with the motivational methods that were used will always be a job for management.
Point 11. Permanently improve quality and productivity. Eliminate numerical quotas.
This point must be put into practice by the production system, more specifically the manager of this area will apply it in the manufacturing department.
Point 12. Eliminate the barriers that prevent the worker from taking pride in his skill.
Managers are the ones who, with the help of human resources, must ensure that the worker feels good about his job.
Item 13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement.
At this point it should also be the management, with the help of the human resources sector, who is in charge of its implementation.
Point 14. Define the permanent commitment of senior management with quality and productivity and their obligation to implement all these principles.
Here it is the general manager who must realize this objective.
Relationship of Deming's 14 points with other schools of managerial thought regarding motivation
The proposal made by Deming is based on the ideas proposed by the school of internalized motivation. Despite belonging to the aforementioned school, Deming's philosophy can be related to some points of the school of human relations.
The first coincidence that we can mention regarding this school is observed in the general assumptions, where it is stated that the work must be carried out in a comfortable and safe environment, and that the boss must be fair and understanding. This is very important to Deming, who also states that the better the worker feels, the higher their performance. Regarding rewards, the human relations school maintains that the best way to reward staff is with praise from their boss and with the approval of the work group, and Deming's philosophy agrees that this is a way to motivate staff.
Referring to the needs that must be satisfied, Deming not only believes that the needs satisfied must be the egocentric as the school of internalized motivation claims, but he also thinks that the safety and social needs are very important for workers, representing thus a very good form of motivation for employees.
With respect to the traditional school, the only thing that Deming agrees with is the point that refers to the training of personnel, observing the rest of the points mentioned by this school we can affirm that it is absolutely opposite to the Deming philosophy. The theories of Fayol, Taylor and Weber do not believe that the growth of worker productivity is given by the satisfaction of their needs, whether they are egocentric, security or social. Unlike the school of internalized motivation, the traditional one is only concerned with the fact that workers produce as much as possible regardless of quality.
Main functions of management in the process proposed in Deming's 14 points
First of all, one of the main functions of management is to begin with the implementation of this whole new philosophy, created by Deming, in the company. It is important that you be attentive to how it is being carried out in the different departments and processes of the organization, it should function as a guide and thus attend to the doubts of the employees and promote their communication with the bosses who will be of great help to the management, although the ideal is that it handles it by itself without any type of intermediaries.
Objectives of an improvement in communication and how they can be achieved
The main objective of an improvement in communication is to break the interdepartmental barriers, achieving an acceleration in it to be able to meet the company's objectives more quickly, without having problems during the process. One way to achieve these goals is to encourage work, both in groups and in teams. This is a way to motivate staff to feel more supported by their colleagues, and therefore better about themselves.
Training and Education According to Deming
The training consists of learning the aptitudes that can be had to fulfill with the accomplishment of a work. Training consists of training an individual to perform the job. Their objective is to accustom the worker to some task in order to achieve a goal, so that in the event that some kind of complication arises, the employee feels (and in fact is) in a position to solve it. In this way there will be greater productivity and greater speed on the part of the worker. The actions to achieve the training are: the collection of data, its organization, the generation of information and then with all this it will be possible to reach decision-making to solve the problem, after having enunciated some alternatives and having chosen the most suitable.To achieve satisfactory training, exercises are presented to employees so that they can make group decisions. Typically, this task is carried out at universities close to the workplace.
The role of the union
The role of the union is very important, since its participation will be based on constant work with the workers to help them assimilate the change, it works as a support instrument, both for the workers and the company.
The 14 points in an educational organization
If we wanted to transfer the experience to a school, how could we improve staff productivity?
It is very difficult to transfer the experience to a school, the work system is very different from that of a company. However, we believe that there are some points that can be improved.
In the first place, constant training and education with regard to new teaching methods and technological advances that can facilitate tasks and improve the way in which it is carried out, is necessary and very important. It is also essential to provide staff with a better and more comfortable place to meet, either to take their breaks or to continue scheduling activities (we believe that it is important that there is a place for each task as this way one will not interfere with the other). In addition, we believe it is important that the staff have all the material they need to carry out their task and we believe that this should be provided by the establishment.
The promotion of joint activities between the different areas is also a way to improve staff productivity since it will allow the creation of a link between them.
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