Being and Becoming & Deming LO23141

John Zavacki (jzavacki@greenapple.com)
Sat, 6 Nov 1999 15:32:28 -0500

Replying to LO23117 --

AT says, in part:
> To think of only the becoming or only the being is fatal.
> PERHAPS this is
> what Deming had in mind when he said that learning without
> knowledge is
> impossible. Why the PERHAPS? Deming knew nothing about "entropy
> production", although he might have learned a few thing about
> entropy. So
> when we try to understand Deming from the viewpoint of
> "entropy production
> + entropy", we do it form a viewpoint unknown to him. (Prigogine would
> have changed my of "entropy production & entropy" into "dissipation &
> entropy").

I must disagree with this statement, At. Take another look at the AIM of
a system, Constancy of Purpose, and the deeper meanings of the PDSA cycle
(see it as recursive as opposed to iterative) and note the following:

Dr. Deming received his doctorate in mathematical physics from Yale
University in 1928. A number of universities have awarded to him the
degrees LL.D. and Sc.D. honoris causa: the University of Wyoming, Rivier
College, the University of Maryland, Ohio State University, Clarkson
College of Technology, Miami University, George Washington University, the
University of Colorado, Fordham University, the University of Alabama,
Oregon State University, the American University, the University of South
Carolina, Yale University, Harvard University, Cleary College, and
Shenandoah University. Yale University awarded to him also the Wilbur
Lucius Cross Medal. Rivier College awarded to him the Madeleine of Jesus
Award. http://www-caes.mit.edu/products/deming/about-deming.html

John Zavacki
jzavacki@greenapple.com <mailto:jzavacki@greenapple.com>

-- 

"John Zavacki" <jzavacki@greenapple.com>

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