Kindle Price: $11.99

Save $6.00 (33%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Gary Fellers
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Why Things Go Wrong: Deming Philosophy in a Dozen Ten-Minute Sessions Kindle Edition

by Gary Fellers (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
See all formats and editions

Easily learn complex business management practices and how to implement them with this concise, painless, and effective text.

Featuring W. Edwards Deming’s “14 Points for Managers” and “7 Deadly Diseases of Management”

Among the principles Gary Fellers teaches are those pertaining to manager-employee relationships, interdepartmental coordination, and, above all, quality management. He explains how to remove the stumps of outdated, poorly tested management styles from practice and get back to the business of frontline management.

W. Edwards Deming was a key consultant in management circles, his clients including Ford, GM, and Dow Chemicals. The Deming system was the secret to Japan’s economic miracle after World War II. His principles are taught regularly in business schools but rarely reach practical application because of their complexity. Now Fellers transcends these obstacles, putting Deming in a compact volume that speaks to anyone trying to understand why things go wrong.

Praise for Why Things Go Wrong

“Motivating, easy to read, and fast paced.” —Ken Blanchard

“Delivers what it promises, bringing back to the basics W. Edwards Deming’s forward thinking and far-reaching principles into a format that anyone can apply.” —Charles J. Givens, author, SuperSelf

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    127 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Pelican Publishing
  5. Publication date
    July 3, 1905
  6. File size
    1535 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Delivers what it promises, bringing back to the basics W. Edwards Deming's forward thinking and far-reaching principles into a format that anyone can apply."
--Charles J. Givens, author, SuperSelf

W. Edwards Deming's "14 Points for Managers" and his "7 Deadly Diseases of Management" are easily accessible in this concise and effective volume. Dr. Gary Fellers brings the complex language and explanations of the Deming principles down to an easy-to-read format, explained in twelve ten-minute chapters.

Manager-employee relationships, interdepartmental coordination, and quality management are among the philosophies Fellers teaches in this book. He explains how to eliminate outdated, poorly tested management styles and move forward in the direction of frontline management.

A quality-management consultant, Dr. Gary Fellers has been presenting the Deming methods to managers and trainees for decades, and his management seminars frequently take him across the country. Often he can be found speaking to local chapters of the American Society for Quality. His articles on the subject have appeared in publications ranging from Quality Digest to TAPPI Journal. He also is the author of Creativity for Leaders, published by Pelican.

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

A quality-management consultant, Dr. Gary Fellers has been presenting the Deming methods to managers and trainees for more than twenty-seven years. His articles on the subject of quality control have appeared in publications ranging from Quality Digest to TAPPI Journal. He also is the author of Creativity for Leaders, published by Pelican. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BQZGWSQW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pelican Publishing (July 3, 1905)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 3, 1905
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1535 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 127 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Gary Fellers

Gary Fellers

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Dr. Gary Fellers

Statistical Consultant's Vitae

Mission→Education→Books→Typical Jobs→Testimonials→Client List

gpfellers@yahoo.com; 864-639-8004; (Cell: 864-508-2542)

Mission: Training and hands-on guidance, with great efficieny.

Dr. Gary Fellers is a statistical-applications consultant.

Education: PhD - applied statistics.

Books:

Statistical Process Control (SPC) for Continuous Processes

SPC for Practitioners

The Deming Vision

Why Things Go Wrong

Creativity for Leaders

 

Typical Jobs:All companies differ, so Dr. Fellers will not be a "hammer looking for a nail." Consider the three representative situations below - all related to the question, "What elusive issues impact you the most?"

1.A firm's cost-to-manufacture exceeds the industry norm, and they need to know what techniques might be available to move them to the next level. Yet, they do not want someone to sell them a $200,000 generic, one-fits-all training package. Our initial project: An overview training session - Title: Here's What's Out There.

2.A company has recurring customer complaints, and the resolutions seldom last. Earlier training either didn't take-root, or they did not (or do not) have time to "back-up and punt" - to train enough people too make sure a problem never reoccurs. Dr. Fellers gets for 3-5 days involved to help uncover the root causes. Large-scale, designed experiments might be the answer - especially if upstream variability interacts with downstream unpredictability. Or finding a more responsive quality sampling plan might enable issues to be prevented. Also, there might be a collection of process inputs that will eliminate the problem - one that multiple-regression data-mining can indentify. Other times, cultural issues holding-back progress can be identified. Many clients have recommended him to partners up-the-supply-chain.

3.Someone said knowledge is the only instrument of production not subject to diminishing returns. True or not, some factories want training, and then more training, so they can solve their own problems as they arise. We do all it all: a basic statistical-applications course, an advanced design-of-experiments (DOE) workshop, statistical approaches to process stabilization, SPC, problem-solving tools for ad hoc teams, six-sigma, etc. Customized instruction manuals provided.

 

TESTIMONIALS

Gary Sams: Manager of Training and Governmental Affairs, Green Bay Packaging,

Inc., Arkansas Kraft Div, 501-354-9279, 501-499-0164 (cell), gsams@gbp.com

"Dr. Fellers taught us how to reduce process variability with statistics. A decade later we're still using his teachings. I do not believe I've seen a better instructor of complicated subjects. And he can elicit buy-in with his many success stories, and keep you entertained with an occasional joke. His being an engineer as well as a master statistician gives him an edge over his competitors. He chases cost savings like no one I've met - with the energy of a twenty year-old."

Dennis McElhannon: Quality Manager, Cryovac Films, Simpsonville, SC; 864-967-1557,DennisMcElhannon@sealedair.com

"This pretty much says it all: Ten years after he finished with our firm, I still call Gary when I have a tough quality issue requiring a quick solution, or when I have a statistics question. He helps for free. People with his level of applied and theoretical expertise are usually egg-heads, but Gary is 'one of the guys.' A true manufacturing guru! His training manuals are superb."

Bill McCoy: Pulp & Paper Manager, Green Bay Packaging, Inc., Arkansas Kraft Div, 501-208-3365, bmccoy@gbp.com

"Our operators loved working with Gary. He has a way of getting "buy-in" from all the players. Also, his intuition about complicated, continuous processes is unparalleled."

Bill Bern: retired, 502-558-6553, wjbern@att.net

"In a corrugated box plant, warped sheets (board) coming off the corrugator is probably the biggest and most elusive problem. Gary's methods gave us a 35% reduction in warp, which resulted in a 15% decline in total-plant scrap. Other than him, few or no consultants have been able to apply statistical process control and improved operating strategies to eliminate this problem - or its many contributing factors. I've used him in about six turn-around situations over a ten-year period, and hope to do so again. He's seen it all!"

Dave Williams: retired & former Blue-Cross Blue-Shield manager,

dewilliams1103@sbcglobal.net

"Dr. Fellers' approach: If it doesn't impact the bottom line within four months, let's find a new project. His diplomacy is remarkable. He provides the missing link."

Joe Count: Senior Consultant, BVM Consulting, 803-341-1465, BVMconsulting@comcast.net

"NBC once aired a nationally televised show titled "NBC White Paper: If Japan Can Do It, Why Can't We?" The guru who was mostly credited with turning around Japan's economy, Edwards Deming, was the interviewee. He recommended that U.S. manufacturers hire a consulting quality-improvement statistician. He also advised them to call the Ford quality office for a list of fifteen. Dr. Gary Fellers' name was on that list. He later consulted with us at Kimberly-Clark and was always available to run our interdepartmental teams when we had a huge issue that needed quick attention. He customizes what others generalize. And he's a master diplomat."

 

Partial Client List

The group below forms a partial listing of the hundred or more locations where Dr. Fellers worked many days.

Kimberly-Clark, Beech Island, SC, & Jenks, OK; tissue & diapers

Peace River Pulp Mill (Daishowa-Marubeni), Peace River, Alberta, CANADA; bleached pulp

PQ Corporation, Augusta GA ; chemical producer (Spring 2010)

Lyphomed, Grand Island, NY; pharmaceuticals

Xerox, New York, NY ; copiers/customer service

Blue-Cross/Blue-Shield, Little Rock, AR ; health insurance

Smith & Nephew, Columbia, SC; duct tape

Green Bay Packaging, Morrilton, AR & Green Bay, WI; paper makers (fall 2010)

Hillerick & Bradsby, Louisville, KY; the Louisville Slugger baseball bat

Georgia Iron Works, Grovetown, GA; foundry

Green Bay Packaging, Fort Worth, TX & Cincinnati, OH; corrugated containers

W.C. Bradley Co, Columbus, GA; barbeque grilles

Owens-Corning, Aiken, SC; fiberglass insulation

Sonoco Products, Hartsville, SC; paper tubes and cones

Weyerhaeuser Corp boxplants: Cedar Rapids, IA; St. Joseph, MO; Manitowoc, WI; Rockford, IL; Three Rivers, MI; Omaha, NE; Portland, ME; St. Paul, MN; Rochester, NY; White Bear Lake, MN; Amarillo, TX; Valiant, OK; Eugene, OR; Butler, IN; Warren, MI

Thermal Dynamics (formerly Babcox & Wilcox) , Augusta, GA; furnace ceramic insulation

Proctor & Gamble, Augusta, GA; detergent

Monsanto, Augusta, GA; phosphate

Torrington Bearings, Sylvania, GA

Container Corp of America (Now CCA/Smurfit), Shelby, NC; corrugated containers

Lockheed, Burbank, CA; missile components & aircraft

International Paper, El Paso, TX, McAllen, TX, and Dallas, TX; corrugated containers

Container Corp of America (Now CCA/Smurfit), Greensboro, NC; cartons

Murray Biscuit, Augusta, GA; cookies

Englehard, Sandersville, GA; kaolin mining & processing

DSM Chemicals, Augusta, GA; chemical producer

Cryovac (Sealed Air), Simpsonville, SC; food-wrap films

Virkler Corp, Charlotte, NC; chemicals

Inland-Rome, Rome, GA; paper maker

Temple-Inland, Silsby, TX; fine papers

Amercord, Lupton City, GA; steel tire cord

Davey Co, Dowingtown, PA; book backings . . .

___________________________________

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
10 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Anna
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
Great book, great author!
Helpful
 Report
Randy D
4.0 out of 5 stars Quick Read
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2007
Good book, gives you the Deming method in a quick read. You can read each section in a few minutes and finish the book quickly. Gives practical advice for helping a culture change.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Michael L. Preiss
5.0 out of 5 stars Management systems often don't benefit those that must use them.
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
Too bad corporate management or so-called "leadership teams" don't read books like these... Then again, maybe they do and a) they fail to see themselves in this book or b) they just don't care as long as they're getting their bonuses.
Helpful
 Report
Pragmatic
5.0 out of 5 stars Great, concise book
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2008
Verified Purchase
This is a great little book. Very concisely covers Deming's work and how to apply it to an organization. It can be read in just a few hours. I highly recommend it as an introduction to his management philosophies.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jason Carter
3.0 out of 5 stars Deming in a nutshell
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2019
This book is perhaps best described by its subtitle, Deming Philosophy in a Dozen Ten-Minute Sessions.

The chapters sometimes take more than ten minutes to complete, but they *are* short. And for someone who has read *of* Deming more than I've read Deming himself, this was a helpful overview. Of course it was more reading about the man's philosophy.

Deming's basic philosophy was that scientific management styles that grew up in the industrial age were outdated perhaps even before they began. His philosophy may be summarized by the idea that pride of workmanship is the secret to quality and that management systems should be geared to that end. The book is organized after the intro chapters into short chapters each addressing one of Deming's "deadly diseases."

Helpful, but not revolutionary.
Helpful
 Report
Robert L. Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2015
Verified Purchase
An outstanding book for management and QA/QC professionals. Well written.
Helpful
 Report
Rolf Dobelli
5.0 out of 5 stars Instant and accessible Deming
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2012
Dr. W. Edwards Deming was a business professor and consultant who's probably best known for his role advising post-World War II Japanese companies on manufacturing and quality; many experts give him much of the credit for Japan's transition to technological preeminence. Beginning in the 1980s and continuing even now, his famous writings, "14 Points for Managers" (a chapter in his book Out of the Crisis) and "7 Deadly Diseases of Management," and his subsequent books make major corporations like Ford take notice. He spent the latter part of his life writing and consulting on management, quality and productivity. Consultant Gary Fellers's tidy little manual moves Deming into today with a readable summary of his management philosophy in 10 handy chapters. While Fellers's summations are no substitute for Deming's primary texts, the author provides a practical précis of Deming's salient philosophical points. getAbstract recommends Fellers's guide to any manager, experienced or new. You'll read it again and again, and it handily fits in your pocket.
Helpful
 Report
Richard Dillard
5.0 out of 5 stars Even Better Than Before
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2007
Years ago, I wrote an initial review of this book. Some of Deming's concepts are still certainly profound and abstract enough to require some type of meat to hang on the hooks before understanding and applying them, but I've expanded my understanding and application (in numerous industries) over the years, in part, because I continue to go back to this short but detailed exposition of Dr. Deming's philosophy and theory of modern leadership for renewal. Hard though it may be, what has become more apparent to me is how worthwhile the effort is and how valuable this book is in starting the transformation. Sadly, it has also become equally apparent that few companies use the theory--current efforts in lean notwithstanding--and few managers think this way even though it is even more obvious today that, as Deming originally said over 30 years ago, American business is in a crisis situation. The problem then and now is that most don't realize it. When will we learn? Still a must-read for business leaders, management consultants, and teams dedicated to continuous improvement in every industry. It is not too late to start. It is never too late. Get a copy of this book and begin today.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

P. Hogg
4.0 out of 5 stars a great concise intro to Demming
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2017
Verified Purchase
a great concise intro to Demming, with emphasis on actual implementation, but just a primer and needs further material e.g. Making Work work
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report