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Article #119

Re: Robert Pirsig and Quality

#119
From: P. Malinee
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 00:00
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On Tue, 24 Nov 1998, Arun Sawhney wrote:

> I wonder if anyone has done any work towards implementing
> some of the philosophical thoughts on Quality - for example
> of Quality being a point of experience where subject and
> object differences arise. I found it similar to the "Moments
> of Truth" work done by Jan Carlson, but that preceded his
> books. Both his books - Zen and The Art of Motorcycle
> Maintainence and Lila: An Enquiry into Morals - are
> tremendously important books on Quality for what they
> explain.
>
> I wonder if anyone has read/ heard of anyplace where this is
> still debated?

Arun-

IMHO Pirsig is what underpins the ideas of fitness for use and customer
satisfaction.  Quality is the essence of the experience of customer
interacting with product/service.  Understanding and controlling the
nature of the interaction between customer and product/service is the most
effective way to improve quality because the result is either a product
that is more fit for use, or a more satisfied customer, or both.

Unfortunately, Pirsig's work requires a reading of the entire book ("Zen")
for readers to achieve understanding of his views.  I wish there was a
CliffNotes or Monarch Notes version of "Zen" or some journal-type articles
that describe Pirsig's views succinctly and simply.  In my view, it is
unrealistic to expect busy managers to read "Zen" or "Leila"
cover-to-cover and there are no sections (at least in "Zen") that are
self-contained.

 -----------------------------------------------   ______________
 PATRICIA MALINEE                                 /              \
 Center for Health Services Research             (                )
 517-S Westlawn Bldg.                             \  Iowa City,   \_
 The University of Iowa                            \   Iowa     *   \
 Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1100   Voice 319-335-8275    \  U.S.A.       /
 patricia-malinee@uiowa.edu     FAX 319-335-8814     |_____________ )
 ------------------------------------------------                  v
        Efforts should not concentrate on the
                Management of Quality
        but, rather, on the Quality of Management
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From: "P. Malinee" <maline@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>
Subject: Re: Robert Pirsig and Quality
Date: 1998/11/26
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