Philosophical thought and the origins of quality management: uncovering conceptual underpinnings of W.A. Shewhart’s ideas on quality

Abstract

This article contributes to the theorisation and understanding of the discipline of quality management as it revisits and unfolds the ideas of the quality pioneer W.A. Shewhart. It attempts to fill a gap in the current writings on the history of management thought by uncovering the major conceptual influences on Shewhart’s works, in particular their link with advancements in science in the early twentieth century, as well as with process philosophy and the philosophy of pragmatism. Throughout the discussion, examples are provided of the impact of process thinking and pragmatism on Shewhart’s writings. In the concluding part of the article, comments are made in relation to the relevance of the conceptual underpinnings of Shewhart’s ideas for the present theory and practice of quality management.

Keywords:

• Shewhart
• process thinking
• pragmatism
• quality management
• philosophy of management
• history of management thought