Deming And Juran: The Kings Of Quality

As part of its anniversary celebration, BusinessWeek is presenting a series of weekly profiles for the greatest innovators of the past 75 years. Some made their mark in science or technology; others in management, finance, marketing, or government. In late September, 2004, BusinessWeek will publish a special commemorative issue on Innovation.

In May, scores of quality-management luminaries from as far off as Japan and Sweden converged on Stamford, Conn., to pay tribute to a living legend: Joseph M. Juran, the patriarch of quality. The event was billed as "100 years of Juran." He won't turn 100 until the day before Christmas, "but they decided it would be safer not to wait," says Juran wryly.