“What is quality?” or “What are you exactly doing in quality?”, sometimes people, my family or friends are asking. After working in supplier quality for over 10 years, my answer is straight and simple:
“Quality is survival, therefore I work as a survival specialist!”
People are surprised at first glance and may laugh, thinking that is a joke. Yes, there is a bit of humor in it. But this isn’t just a catchy phrase, it has a deeper meaning as quality isn’t just a modern business concept. It’s an ancient survival mechanism.
Quality means Survival
Throughout history, the ability to create quality products and services has determined which civilizations thrived and which collapsed. This truth remains just as relevant today. In fact, 89% of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after experiencing poor quality, according to a recent consumer survey.
Quality standards have evolved dramatically over thousands of years. From ancient stone tools to modern electronics, the pursuit of excellence has shaped human progress. This journey offers valuable lessons for today’s business leaders.
Let’s explore how quality has been a matter of survival across different eras, and what this means for your organization’s future.
Podcast: Quality through History
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.8MB)
The Stone Age: When Quality Meant Life or Death
Quality began with our earliest ancestors. In the Stone Age, a well-made spear or axe meant the difference between eating and starving.
Poor quality tools broke during hunts. Bad weapons failed in battles. Weak shelters collapsed in storms.
The best toolmakers gained status in their tribes. Their skills kept people alive. Stone Age artifacts show incredible craftsmanship. Many tools from 30,000 years ago still look functional today.
Evidence shows early humans tested materials before use. They checked stone quality by striking it to hear its sound. They examined bone and wood for flaws. These basic quality checks were their first survival systems.
Quality in Ancient Civilizations: The Foundation of Success
Later civilizations built on these basics. In ancient Egypt, precise measurements and consistent standards were essential for building pyramids that have lasted over 4,500 years.
The Egyptians created a system where master craftsmen trained apprentices and inspected work. This early quality control process ensured monuments and everyday items met strict standards.
In ancient China, quality determined which merchants succeeded. During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), government workshops used standardized weights and measures to maintain product quality.
These ancient quality systems share a common thread: they linked quality and excellence directly to survival and prosperity.
The Middle Ages: Quality Through Bloody Practice and Guilds
Weapons and Armor: Quality For Battlefield Survival
On medieval battlefields, quality was life or death. A poorly made sword could snap during combat. Weak armor joints could let in enemy blades. Bad steel could shatter on impact.
Knights paid top prices for the best weapons and armor. They knew their lives depended on it. Master armorers tested each piece. They checked for weak spots and flaws. Many struck their personal mark on finished items as a quality guarantee.
The best armorers gained fame across Europe. Kings and nobles sought their work. Poor craftsmen went out of business when warriors died using their products.
Surviving medieval armor shows amazing quality work. Many pieces still move smoothly after 600+ years. Some mail shirts contain over 30,000 perfectly formed rings. Each ring was checked before assembly.
The Guild System's Quality Impact
During the Middle Ages (500-1500 CE), craft guilds emerged as the guardians of quality. These powerful organizations controlled:
- Training standards
- Raw material quality
- Production methods
- Final product inspection
Guilds protected their reputation fiercely. Poor-quality work could result in fines, public humiliation, or expulsion from the guild. A craftsman’s survival depended entirely on maintaining quality standards.
The guild system created a quality culture where master craftsmanship became a source of pride and identity. Many cathedral windows, furniture pieces, and metal works from this period still function perfectly after 500+ years.
The Industrial Revolution: Quality at a Crossroads
The Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) changed everything. Mass production created new challenges for quality control. As factories replaced craftsmen, quality often suffered.
Early factory owners focused on quantity over quality. But forward-thinking companies realized poor quality threatened their survival. By the late 1800s, companies began implementing systematic inspection processes.
Frederick Winslow Taylor introduced scientific management in the early 1900s. His methods improved consistency but often separated workers from quality responsibility.
This era taught a crucial lesson: when quantity becomes the only focus, quality suffers—and so does long-term survival.
World War II and Beyond: Quality as Competitive Advantage
World War II transformed quality systems forever. Military production demanded both speed and reliability.
Statistical quality control emerged, pioneered by experts like W. Edwards Deming.
After the war, Japan embraced Deming’s quality methods while many Western companies returned to old habits.
The result? By the 1970s, Japanese companies dominated markets with superior quality products.
This period showed that quality isn’t just about survival—it’s about competitive advantage. Companies with better quality systems outperformed their rivals consistently.
The Digital Age: Quality in a Connected World
Today, quality exists in both physical and digital realms. Software bugs can cause billion-dollar losses. Data quality determines AI effectiveness. Service quality spreads through social media in minutes.
Modern quality systems focus on:
- Prevention rather than inspection
- Continuous improvement
- Customer satisfaction
- Total organizational involvement
Organizations that master these principles survive and thrive. Those that don’t face extinction in increasingly competitive markets.
Lessons Learned from History
History gives us clear quality lessons. Here are the five most important ones:
1. Quality is survival.
From Stone Age hunters to modern businesses, quality decides who lives on. Poor quality has always meant failure.
2. Systems matter.
Every great culture built quality systems. These weren’t just rules. They were ways of thinking and working that everyone shared.
3. Leaders set the tone.
In every age, leaders who cared about quality created success. Those who cut corners failed.
4. Skills need teaching.
Quality has always depended on training. Apprentice systems, guilds, and modern training all pass on quality skills.
5. Testing works.
From hitting stones to hear their sound to modern statistical tests, checking quality before it matters has always worked.
Conclusion: The Survival Imperative
Quality has been and always will be a matter of survival. Those who master quality outlast those who neglect it.
The methods have evolved—from craftsman’s pride to digital quality systems. But the basic truth stays the same: excellence determines who thrives.
For today’s businesses, quality isn’t optional. It’s essential for survival. The companies that will lead tomorrow are building quality into everything they do.
What quality lessons will your company learn from history? Your answer may decide if you become a quality leader—or a warning to others.
FAQ
How has the definition of quality changed over time?
Quality once meant simply “meets basic requirements.” Today, it means exceeding customer expectations. This shift reflects our move from survival economies to experience economies.
Quality now encompasses reliability, service experience, environmental impact, and ethical considerations. The core principle remains the same: excellence determines which organizations thrive.
How does quality affect business survival today?
Quality impacts survival more directly than ever. Consider these statistics:
- 96% of customers say quality determines their loyalty
- Companies with strong quality cultures outperform competitors by 3-4% in return on assets
- Quality problems cost companies 15-20% of sales revenue
In the digital age, quality failures spread instantly. One major quality issue can threaten even established companies.
What quality lessons from history apply today?
Several timeless principles emerge:
- Quality culture matters more than quality systems
- Leadership commitment determines quality success
- Prevention costs less than correction
- Quality responsibility belongs to everyone
- Customer perception defines quality ultimately
Podcast
Listen to the fascinating world or quality throughout history whereever you like:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.8MB)
