This
paper will further elaborate the life and work of W. Edwards
Deming. Primarily, the focus will be on the role he played in developing the paradigm of
total quality management, and on explaining just what Deming meant by total quality management. After establishing this, a brief
analysis of how his ideas have been, and can be, put to work will be provided. In the final analysis it will be clear that, given the outstanding growth of the Japanese
economy in the post war period, Deming deserves a great deal of credit for helping shape the economy of the 20th, and probably the 21st, century. He must, on this basis, be considered one of the greatest contributors to social and economic advancement in our time. Deming's work continues to grow in application and importance after his death, and his legacy is still unfolding. The paper will conclude with a few remarks on what we might expect the US economy to look like as a result the increased adoption of Deming's ideas.