Indicadores

GURUS OF QUALITY

100 Years Of Juran by Debbie Phillips-Donaldson, editor

H

e’s witnessed two world wars, numerous other military conflicts, the rise (and fall) of countless new inventions, humans’ first space explorations and 17 U.S. presidents. He’s survived anti-Semitism, poverty, emigration, the childhood loss of his mother and the Great Depression. Living through 100 years of such profound changes and events would be noteworthy enough. But Joseph M. Juran has been much more than just a casual observer. He has participated vigorously in and contributed extensively to the growth of industry, society and—perhaps most importantly to us—quality.

Hard Work From an Early Age
Juran’s could be considered a classic Horatio Alger story. Born in Romania on Dec. 24, 1904, he emigrated to Minneapolis with his family in 1912 in hope of escaping poverty and the threat of violence against Jews. Unfortunately, it took a while for the family’s financial fortunes to improve, especially after the death of Juran’s mother in 1920 from tuberculosis. From almost the moment he arrived in the United States, Juran, along with his siblings, worked to augment the family’s income. In his memoirs, Architect of Quality, Juran estimates he held 16 jobs during 12 years in Minneapolis—everything from newspaper hawker to grocery clerk to bookkeeper to janitor to warehouse “bundle boy.” He worked for a printer, the state Prohibition Committee and Burlington Railroad. Though child labor typically has a negative connotation, Juran believes it helped his siblings and him in many ways:
We grew up with no fear of long hours or hard work. We learned to seek out opportunities and to use ingenuity to gain from them. We accepted the responsibility for building our own safety nets. By enduring the heat of the fiery furnace, we acquired a work ethic that served us well for the rest of our lives.1

In 50 Words Or Less
• Joseph M. Juran’s life story includes overcoming many obstacles to become