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        New Message Board Archives >> 2007 General Board Posts >> A Modern Parable
        
(Message started by: tanner on Jul 16^th, 2007, 1:08pm)

Title: A Modern Parable
Post by tanner on Jul 16^th, 2007, 1:08pm

For any of you that have not seen this elsewhere I will start playing catch up with messages with a simple copy and paste :-[....sorry.....tired and trying hard.....Tim

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 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
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 Executives as bonuses and
the next year's racing team was out-sourced to India

Sadly, the End.

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!

Title: Re: A Modern Parable
Post by 1stdonna on Jul 16^th, 2007, 1:26pm

You're right......it is sad. The empty, deserted homes in Cleveland and Michigan in areas where there used to be Chevy and Ford plants bare witness to this.

Title: Re: A Modern Parable
Post by Patrick_A on Jul 16^th, 2007, 5:32pm

Thank you!
Very interesting.

PA

Title: Re: A Modern Parable
Post by zwibbs/Scott on Jul 16^th, 2007, 7:21pm

How True------How True My friend

Title: Re: A Modern Parable
Post by Charlie on Jul 16^th, 2007, 9:07pm

Sums it up just about right from here :-/

Charlie

Title: Re: A Modern Parable
Post by stevegeebe on Jul 16^th, 2007, 11:22pm

Bought my Wife a new Honda CR-V Saturday.

Giving my Daughter the old mint 1999 Honda CR-V.

Keeping my Toyota pick-up (295,800 miles).

Steve G