Deming and Ackoff Legacies

From time to time we will feature additions to knowledge about Dr. Deming, his philosophy, application of Deming principles, and gleanings from the lengthening history and knowledge of systems thinking. Dr. Deming left a philosophy of management applicable to any kind of human enterprise as well as individuals. It rests on appreciation for a system and the requirement for systems to receive skillful leadership. No less essential was fundamental belief in the ability and need of every individual to work in a cooperative, learning environment free of fear of being punished for making mistakes.

From his contributions to development of operations research following World War II, Dr. Russell Ackoff led thinking about organizations as systems. With the concept of idealized re-design, he illustrated how managers and leaders could bring about transformative, systemic change.

We believe that the inter-related ideas of these two great thinkers provide a powerful and vital legacy for humankind’s struggles to survive and prosper in the new century.

We begin with a speech Dr. Deming made in 1950….