Not really. It's the point that one might take from the title alone, but the article doesn't substantiate it. > And from anecdotal evidence I also know that

Not really. It's the point that one might take from the title alone, but the article doesn't substantiate it. > And from anecdotal evidence I also know that Western companies with sufficient operational rigour tend to be rather … unpleasant places to work. “Is that not the price of excellence?” a friend said, after I told him of this conundrum. “What, you expect such operational excellence to come for free?” > An obvious point in retrospect; It's not an obvious point at all, and the author doesn't try to back it up. The point the article makes is that: 1. Deming himself didn't hold the two in opposition; and 2. It's unclear from any evidence that they need to be, in practice.