Creativity and innovation are linked closely to productivity and competitive success. W. Edwards Deming used several examples that show the importance of innovation in today's business world. He pointed to agriculture as an industry that has continually responded with new and innovative methods and processes, while the best builders of automotive carburetors went out of business because they failed to recognize the importance of the fuel injector. Many other examples, such as the fax machine, cable television, internet, and World Wide Web illustrate the importance of continuous and creative change. Few organizations will prosper in the coming century without developing and exploiting the creativity of its people.
Creativity is an important aspect of total quality, and both subjects have much in common.
In fact, much of the quality success of Japanese companies is due to creative solutions to manufacturing problems. They are highly creative and typically quite inexpensive and deceptively simple. To ensure that critical bolts are tightened on automobiles at a Toyota plant, the wrenches are kept in a bucket of dye. When a bolt has been missed, it lacks the visible color. At Motorola, a group of workers designed a clear template with keyboard characters positioned slightly off center.