[StBernard] A modern day parable

[Westley Annis]

: A modern day parable

>

A  Japanese company ( Toyota  ) and an American company (Ford) 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.

>

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 WEREN'T TRUE, IT MIGHT BE  FUNNY.

>

>mah