The Shingo Prize

The 20th Anniversary

As Shigeo’s Shingo publisher and knowing of his contribution to the world of manufacturing, I thought he was entitled to a Nobel Prize. I did contact the Nobel representative in the United States but was told that there was no category for Dr. Shingo’s work.  I knew it was not true for there is a Nobel Economic Prize and that Shingo’s work could save the world billions and billions of dollars.  And it has.

A few months later, I met Dr. Vernon M. Buehler, a professor at Utah State University.  I spoke at a conference at his school.  In conversation with Vern, he asked me if I could get Shingo to speak at his next conference.  I said, “Yes, but with conditions.”  “What are those conditions,” he asked. "You have to get Shingo an honorary Doctorate degree."  Vern said that he couldn’t guarantee it but that he would do all that was necessary to apply for one.  In discussions together, we then decided that America needed a manufacturing prize similar to the Japanese Deming Prize.  In Japan, Japanese companies fiercely competed for the coveted Deming Prize.  Dr. Deming taught statistical process control and taught how companies could improve quality. Dr. Deming tried to teach American managers, but we just wouldn't listen.

The Deming prize was a catalyst for Japanese companies to inspire their workers to compete to improve productivity and quality.  Based on the success of the Deming Prize in Japan, Vern and I thought that an American manufacturing prize might spur on American industry to “wake –up” to the international challenges.  We both thought, based on the discoveries of Shingo, that it would be appropriate to name the American prize after him.

Vern and I then invited a group of senior American executives to form the initial board of directors of the prize.  Shingo and I contributed $50,000 for the start of the prize and Vern got Utah State University’s Partners in Business to initially sponsor the prize.

The board set up the criteria for the prize and sent out request notices to American industry.  At the time, as president of Productivity Inc. and Productivity Press, I had an enormous mailing list to solicit applications.  I remember, close to a year later, we had received around a dozen applications for the prize.  At that board meeting we reviewed and discussed which companies were worthy of winning the initial prize.  One board member was adamant that no company was worthy of winning the prize.  He said, “No company has passed the criteria set for productivity improvement.”  I chimed in, “Look we have a prize; we must have a winner.”  It was a fierce discussion.  I told the group to take a break and since Shingo was there to speak at the conference, I went to get his advice.  He said, “Norman, you treat the prize just like a beauty contest and give it to the best company.”  With Shingo’s powerful statement, it was easy for me to convince all of the other delegates, but one, that we would pick out the best company to win the prize.

We did and the prize has only been growing stronger each year.

A few years back, Mr. Toyoda, the past chairman of Toyota, at a dedication of Toyota’s first manufacturing plant in China looking at Dr. Shingo’s son Ritsuo Shingo, president of Toyota China, said,  “If it wasn’t for your father Toyota would not be where it is today!”

And subsequently, Vern delivered.  Utah State University did award Shingo an honorary doctorate degree.  I remember the moment very clearly.  Even that it was very difficult for Shingo to walk at the time, he did walk slowly and participated in all of the processions.  As the honorary doctorate degree was awarded to him, he gave a brilliant speech to the auditorium filled with students, teachers, friends and families.  It was Dr. Shingo’s proudest moment.

When he died less than a year later, his wife placed his cap and gown around him and displayed him that way for the funeral ceremonies.

Dr. Shingo was probably the greatest manufacturing consultant of the last 100 years.  I am still indebted to Utah State University for recognizing the contributions of Dr. Shingo to American industry.