[calinet6]

Much of it actually came from W. Edwards Deming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming), who taught it to the Japanese after World War II. The top prize for quality in Japan carries his name.

He was American; we've forgotten (or never learned), but they took it to an extreme.

[doctorstupid]

I wouldn't say he gave them perfection, but rather that he tought some companies how to achieve the perfection they already desired from mass manufactured goods.

[calinet6]

Yes, the How was the disconnect. It still is.