A Modern Parable...

[PeteB]

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

 

On the day the Japanese won by a mile.

 

The Americans, being very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action.

 

Their conclusion was that the Japanese had 8 people rowing and one steering whilst the Americans had 8 steering and 1 person rowing.

 

Feeling a deeper study was in order the 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 where steering and not enough rowing.

 

Not sure on how to utilise this information the Americans decided that in order to beat the Japanese they would crew thus, 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 steering assistant superintendent manager.

 

They also implemented a new performance system that would give the rower a greater incentive to pull harder. It was called the "Rowing Team Quality First Program". with meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower. There was discussions on new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra holidays for practice time and bonuses.

 

The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

 

Humiliated, the American management laid off the rower for poor performance, halted developement of the new canoe, sold the paddles and canceled all capital investment for new facilities. The money saved was distributed to the senior executives as bonuses and the next years team was out-sourced to India.

 

Sadly, The End...

 

But.............. think on this.

 

Ford has spent 30 years moving its factories out of the US, claiming they can't make money paying American wages.

 

Toyota has spent 30 years building a dozen plants in the states.

 

Toyota made 4 billion dollars, Ford lost 9 billion dollars.

 

If this wasn't true, it might be funny.

 

Other examples being Rover, LandRover, Jaguar, TVR, Vauxhall etc.

[Quickthorn]

Ford has spent 30 years moving its factories out of the US, claiming they can't make money paying American wages.

 

Toyota has spent 30 years building a dozen plants in the states.

 

Toyota made 4 billion dollars, Ford lost 9 billion dollars.

 

If this wasn't true, it might be funny.

 

Other examples being Rover, LandRover, Jaguar, TVR, Vauxhall etc.

 

Very true. You often hear it said that British workers can't build cars, are too lazy etc: one of Toyota's most efficient factories is in Burnaston, Derbys, and the Nissan plant near Sunderland is one of the most productive, if not the most productive, in Europe.

 

It was never the workers, it was the managers that were cr@p.

[slasherscot]

i wonder what tree companies that parable could apply tooooooooo