ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn, kɹˈɑːsbi pˈɛnd kwˈɔlᵻɾi ɪz fɹˈiː: ðɪ ˈɑːɹt ʌv mˌeɪkɪŋ kwˈɔlᵻɾi sˈɜːʔn̩ wˌɪtʃ pɹɪzˈɜːvd ðɪ aɪdˈiə ʌv zˈiəɹoʊ dˈiːfɛkts ɪn ɐ kwˈɔlᵻɾi mˈænɪdʒmənt mətʃˈʊɹɹᵻɾi ɡɹˈɪd, ɪn ɐ fˈoːɹtiːnstˈɛp kwˈɔlᵻɾi ɪmpɹˈuːvmənt pɹˈoʊɡɹæm, ænd ɪnðə kˈɑːnsɛpt ʌvðə "ˈæbsəlˌuːts ʌv kwˈɔlᵻɾi mˈænɪdʒmənt".
In 1979, Crosby penned Quality Is Free: The Art of Making Quality Certain which preserved the idea of Zero Defects in a Quality Management Maturity Grid, in a 14-step quality improvement program, and in the concept of the "Absolutes of Quality Management".