Cover
Contents – Summary
Translators' Preface
Foreword
I Introduction
1. Preface
2. Step 1. Establishing the Quality Standard
3. Step 2. Establishing a Section to Evaluate Quality
4. Step 3. Establishing Inspection Standards
5. Step 4. Selection of Inspection Methods
6. Step 5. Investigation of the Current State of Quality
7. Technical Terms Used in Quality Control
II Probability and Statistical Inference
1. Measures of Central Tendency
2. Measure of Variability
III Sampling Inspection
1. Specifying an Acceptable Proportion of Defective Items
IV Application of Sampling Inspection
V Quality Control of the Production Process
AppendixStatistical Tables for Sampling Inspection
Thoughts on The Road to Quality Control – The Industrial Application of Statistical Quality Control by Homer M. Sarasohn
1. Introduction
2. Quality Management
3. Use of Acceptance Sampling
4. Control Chart Methods
5. Theory vs. Practice
6. Some Other Books of the Era
7. Conclusions
8. References
Homer Sarasohn and American Involvement in the Evolution of Quality Management in Japan, 1945–1950*
1. 1 Introduction
2. 2 Events Prior to 1945
3. 3 1945–1947
4. 4 1948–1950
5. 5 Conclusions
6. 6 Key Sources of Information
7. Acknowledgements
8. References
9. Résumé
10. Appendix: Notes on the Text
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This edition first published 2019

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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data applied for

ISBN: 9781119514930

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Image: Homer M. Sarasohn Archives: IBM Corporate Headquarters, New Orchard Rd; Armonk, New York 10504; (914) 499-1900

Translators' Preface

This book has unusual origins.

One of us (NIF) had the good fortune to form a close friendship with Homer Sarasohn in the last few years of his life. A few years after he passed away, in 2001, his daughter Lisa prepared his papers and other library materials for the Library of Congress. Some of his books were sent to his friends. Included in the resources sent to NIF was a small book written in Japanese but with the title also printed in English: The Industrial Application of Statistical Quality Control. The date of publication was given as 1951, making it a very early publication of any sort (let alone a book) on Statistical Quality Control, following Walter Shewhart's original publication. As such, it appeared to be a document of considerable historical interest, not least because of Homer's other work in Japan from 1946 to 1950.

Some time elapsed before permission was sought from Homer's family to arrange for a translation, which they kindly provided. Further delays have meant that it has taken nearly 15 years to bring the task of translation to completion. The translators also felt it important to provide some historical perspective for the book. This has been done by including two additional documents: one by an eminent academic researcher, Professor William Woodall, who kindly agreed to write an essay, positioning it in the published literature of the time, and the other a more general (previously published) article about Homer's work in Japan.

The background to the writing of this book is of some interest. In the early postwar years, Japanese engineers became aware of the widespread use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) in industry in the USA, and some perceived it as the driver for American manufacturing superiority.¹ However, Homer resisted the pressure to teach SPC until such time as he had had the opportunity to educate people in the more general principles of industrial management so that they would appreciate the context in which SPC should be deployed. He and Charles Protzman conducted two courses (the so‐called CCS courses) for managers in Japanese industry late in 1949 to provide this education. At this point, he was able to turn his attention to teaching Statistical Quality Control. Taking into account the comment about delays in publication in the Foreword to this book, we can infer that it was written in 1950. It had been his intention to run courses in quality control himself. However, in 1950 General Douglas MacArthur was reassigned to another task (in Korea) and took Homer with him. Consequently, Homer contacted Walter Shewhart, who was too busy to assist but referred him to W. Edwards Deming, who then visited Japan in 1950 for this purpose.

The translators wish to acknowledge some initial work done on the translation by Professor Shu Yamada and some of his students.

We have taken the liberty of correcting a few very small errors in the text. The diagrams have been re‐drawn to reproduce the originals as closely as possible.

Finally, we note an irony that we feel would have amused Homer. As it happens, the last page we translated was the Foreword. We had assumed that Homer, who had taught himself Japanese, had written the book in Japanese. In fact, the Foreword reveals that this was not the case: it was translated into Japanese by an unknown team from Homer's original English script, so that we have, in effect, reverse engineered the book to approximate his original version.

N.I. Fisher

Y. Tanaka

Foreword

I owe Mr. Homer M. Sarasohn, the author of this book, very much for having taught me quality control. He had been working for the CCS of the GHQ. He is the person who proposed and executed an education program known as the “CCS course” for managers in Japanese industry. This book is his parting gift prepared on the basis of his belief that quality control is particularly important for Japanese industry. The main aim of his education program was to introduce quality control properly, in plain language, in a situation when there were few books available on quality control. Unfortunately, its publication was delayed for various reasons. Though it seems to me a little behind the times, I believe this kind of book is useful for readers because it is remains relevant. I regret there might be some parts that are not easy to read. It is because the translators have tried very hard to remain faithful to the original.

Mr. Homer M. Sarasohn now holds an important position in a company of management consultants named Booz, Allen & Hamilton, and is consulting for various large companies. Therefore, it may be said that this is a valuable book written by a first‐class consultant in the USA who knows Japanese industry very well.

I believe this book will provide basic information to beginners about quality control and will stimulate people who have had experiences in practicing quality control by providing them with an opportunity for self‐examination.

Finally, on behalf of the author, I thank those in the Japan Management Association for their efforts in making the translation.

Eizaburo Nishibori

Note