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Taguchi Methods: Some

Technical, Cultural and

Pedagogical Perspectives

T. N. Goh

It has been a decade since the term ‘Taguchi methods’ became part of the vocabu-
lary of the quality profession in the West, particularly the USA. The decade has also
seen heated debates conducted by two distinct camps of professionals, one unfail-
ingly extolling the new-found virtues and power of Taguchi methods, and the other
persistently exposing the flaws and limitations inherent in them. Against this back-
drop, this chapter offers some pertinent perspectives on the subject for those who
have to decide ‘to Taguchi, or not to Taguchi’ in personnel training and actual appli-
cations. In the final analysis, as for most issues, the middle ground seems to be the
most sensible way out; however, the chosen course of action will be on much firmer
ground if it is based on a good understanding of the interplay of factors underlying
the controversies -- technical, cultural, and even pedagogical. For this reason such
factors are highlighted in this chapter in a non-mathematical language for the benefit
of decision makers and quality practitioners in industry who cannot afford the time
to wade through the theoretical discourses in the literature, although academics may
find some of the views expressed here subjects for further discussion and research in
themselves.

This chapter is based on the article by T. N. Goh, ‘Taguchi methods: Some technical, cultural and pedagogical
perspectives’, Quality and Reliability Engineering International, 9, 1993, pp. 185--202, and is reproduced by the
permission of the publisher, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Six Sigma: Advanced Tools for Black Belts and Master Black Belts L. C. Tang, T. N. Goh, H. S. Yam and T. Yoap
C 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
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