Chain reaction : quality, productivity, lower costs, capture the market -- Principles for transformation of western management -- Diseases and obstacles -- When? How long? -- Questions to help managers -- Quality and the consumer -- Quality and productivity in service organizations -- Some new principles of training and leadership -- Operational definitions, conformance, performance -- Standards and regulations -- Common causes and special causes of improvement. Stable system -- More examples of improvement downstream -- Some disappointments in great ideas -- Two reports to management -- Plan for minimum average total cost for test of incoming materials and final product -- Organization for improvement of quality and productivity -- Some illustrations for improvement of living -- Appendix : Transformation in Japan

Deming makes a case to transform management style from working in current growth to a style where managers and executives are evaluated according to their ability to plan to stay in business. The plan to stay in business includes forecasting industrial futures and matching company needs, protecting investments, and securing more jobs through improved product and service