[Rhodes22-list] Fw: For Brad: A Modern Parable

[elle]

thought provoking?

elle


> > > A Modern Parable 
> > >               
> > > A Japanese company and an American company 
> > > 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.
> > 
> > The End. 
> > > 


> > > Here's something else to think about: 

> > > GM 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 GM racked up 9 billion in losses. 
> > > 
> > > GM folks are still scratching their heads.
> > > 
> > > IF THIS WEREN'T TRUE, IT MIGHT BE FUNNY.