Joseph M. Juran

J. M. Juran, RIT NandE Vol19Num1 1987 Sep11 Complete

Joseph M. Juran (December 24, 1904 – February 28, 2008) was a Romanian-born American engineer and management consultant. He is principally remembered as an evangelist for quality and quality management, having written several influential books on those subjects. He is widely considered to be one of the fathers of the modern quality management movement, alongside W. Edwards Deming.

Early Life and Education

Joseph Moses Juran was born in Brăila, Romania, and emigrated to the United States with his family when he was a young child. They settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Juran excelled in school, particularly in mathematics. He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1924. Later, he received a law degree, which further broadened his perspective and understanding of the regulatory and legal aspects of business and quality management.

Career

Juran's career began in 1924 when he joined Western Electric's Hawthorne Works. His work there involved quality control methods and he was quickly recognized for his contributions to the field. In 1926, he was promoted to head the inspection department, a position that allowed him to further his research and application of quality control principles.

In 1951, Juran published his most influential work, Quality Control Handbook, which is considered a foundational text in the field of quality management. His emphasis on the managerial aspect of quality and productivity led to significant developments in the approach towards quality in business.

Juran's philosophy revolved around the Juran Trilogy, which consisted of quality planning, quality control, and quality improvement. He believed that quality management required planning and leadership from the highest levels of management, a stark contrast to the then-prevailing notion that quality was solely the concern of the production department.

Contributions to Quality Management

Juran made several key contributions to the field of quality management:

- **The Juran Trilogy**: His conceptual framework for managing quality. - **Pareto Principle in Quality Management**: Juran popularized the application of the Pareto Principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) to quality management, suggesting that a majority of problems (80%) are produced by a few key causes (20%). - **Quality Circles**: While not the inventor of quality circles, Juran was instrumental in their development and global dissemination, particularly in Japan. - **Juran Institute**: In 1979, he founded the Juran Institute, Inc., an organization aimed at providing research, publications, and training on quality management.

Legacy

Juran's work had a profound impact on the approach to quality management in both manufacturing and service industries worldwide. His teachings and publications have been translated into many languages, and his methods are applied globally. He was a key figure in Japan's rise as a quality leader in the 1950s and 1960s, a testament to his influence and the effectiveness of his methodologies.

Juran lived a long life, passing away at the age of 103. His legacy is carried on through the Juran Institute and the many quality professionals and organizations that continue to be influenced by his work.

Selected Publications

- Quality Control Handbook (1951) - Managerial Breakthrough (1964) - Juran on Planning for Quality (1988)

See Also

- W. Edwards Deming - Quality Management - Pareto Principle - Quality Control