Development and Control of the Pershing Quality Program

This paper describes the conception, implementation, functioning, and results of the Pershing weapon system quality control program. The weapon system has been operational since June 1962, so it is a fairly complete story. The most important lesson of the quality program was that people will perform to the tolerance level of management, and that you can get people to aspire to, and achieve in large measure, a goal of Zero Defects through proper motivation.