Everyone up to the chairman of the board wears a company uniform with his or her first name stitched on it. And a stuffed duck is the company's mascot and symbol of quality leadership. Wainwright is an excellent example of how creativity, integrated within a traditional American company, can lead to exceptional improvements in quality and business performance. More importantly, when visitors tour the plant, they see clearly the spirit and enthusiasm exuded by Wainwright associates. Improving quality and work itself should be fun.
People have fun when they are creative.
These speculative theories don't provide much of a working definition to help us become more creative. 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.