We have seen how interconnected the world already is. The only thing I can see to slow down this international perspective for quality professionals is serious, serious calamities causing nations and businesses to look inward. Close the shutters and ride out the storms. While that might happen, it do not think it will. But the quality is global theme is a bit trite and nearly universally accepted.
As I have mentioned before, big and powerful forces are shaping our quality profession and professionals.
Integrated management systems, greater emphasis on risk, and accelerating technology change are the big three. These all need lots of study, thought, and exploration. We need conversations in
- Management system common elements
- Practical ways to apply our tools in other areas (safety, environment, etc.)
- Supply chain risks
- Business continuity
- Trade offs between improve (good) and protect (evil)
- Applying the tools we know to nanotechnology
- Quality in a land of DIY biology and new life forms
- to name but a few
Yet, there remains a constant need to refresh the existing knowledge. The most popular ASQ courses and publications (in revenue and demand) deal with the basics. The DOGs (designated old guys) who learned this stuff in the military during the cold war are leaving us. The youngsters still need to pick up the information.
Our profession remains the same.
One might say we need to apply "old tricks to new applications."
