Breakthrough by Quality Organizations

Abstract

We first introduce breakthrough as a repeating process of application of the scientific method. Next, we sketch five quality organizations, the breakthroughs each made, and how each organization built on the prior state-of-the-art. We conclude with the suggestion that more quality organizations explicitly attempt to advance the state-of-the-art of methods for improving quality and management.

This note is dedicated to the memory of Russell Ackoff (1919-2009). We learned much from time spent with Professor Ackoff and from studying his writings.