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[msirach]

A Modern Parable


A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (General Motors) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River . Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race.

On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.

The Americans, very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team had 8 people steering and 1 person rowing.

Feeling a deeper study was in order, American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion. They advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.

Not sure of how to utilize that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1 person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder It was called the 'Rowing Team Quality First Program, with meetings, dinners and free pens and a certificate of completion for the rower. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices and bonuses.

The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

Humiliated, the American management laid off the rower (a reduction in workforce) for poor performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executive s as bonuses and the next year's racing team was 'out-sourced' to India ..

Sadly, the End.

However, sad, but oh so true! Here's something else to think about:
Ford has spent the last thirty years moving all its factories out of the US, claiming they can't make money paying American wages. Toyota has spent the last thirty years building more than a dozen plants inside the US

The last quarter's results:

Toyota makes 4 billion in profits while Ford racked up 9 billion in losses Ford folks are still scratching their heads.

IF THIS WASN'T SO SAD IT MIGHT BE FUNNY!

[efusco]

There've gotta be a 1/2 dozen more copies of this on the forum already...posted over the past 2 years.

[daniel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Sep 7 2007, 04:31 PM) [snapback]508786[/snapback]</div>

There've gotta be a 1/2 dozen more copies of this on the forum already...posted over the past 2 years.
[/b]

Yeah, but some things are so true they bear repeating.

[Stev0]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 8 2007, 08:47 AM) [snapback]509026[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, but some things are so true they bear repeating.
[/b]

Is that why people still post the "Hummers are greener than the Prius" story?

*ducks*

[daniel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Sep 8 2007, 09:11 AM) [snapback]509079[/snapback]</div>

Is that why people still post the "Hummers are greener than the Prius" story?

*ducks*
[/b]

No, that's on the theory that if you repeat a lie often enough people will start to believe you. It actually works pretty well. R. Reagan had great success with it, as does the shrub.

[qbee42]

It wouldn't be a canoe race. Canoes don't have rowers, they have paddlers. They also don't have coxswain. This is an old, old story that has somehow become twisted so it no longer makes sense. It used to be with the upcoming summer Olympics the company decides to hold a rowing (or crew) race on the river. The rest of the story follows the same format, only using the proper terminology for crew.

Tom