Funny, and straight out of W. Edwards Deming, the total quality guru who
was so discouraged by American management's indifference to his quality
program suggestions that he went to Japan instead and helped convert them
from a workforce making cheap knicknacks and knockoffs of American products
to one that led the world in quality.
Steve
At 12:14 PM 12/18/2005, you wrote:
AH, AMERICAN BUSINESS AT IT'S BEST.
Fuji, a Japanese company, and Kodak, 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.
Afterward, the American team became very discouraged and morally
depressed. The American management decided the reason for the crushing
defeat had to be found. A Management Team made up of senior management
was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action.
Their conclusion was the Japanese had eight people rowing and one person
steering, while the American team had eight people steering and one
person rowing. So American management hired a consulting company and
paid them an incredible amount of money.
After six months of hard work, they advised that too many people were
steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing. So the American
Team acted. To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year, the
rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to four
steering supervisors, three area steering superintendents and one
assistant superintendent steering manager.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give the one
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. Even new paddles and medical benefit incentives were
promised for a winner. "We must give the rower the empowerment and
enrichments through this quality program."
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 for
a job well done.
Build a Lookaround!
The Lookaround Book, 4th ed.
Now an E-book.
http://www.panoramacamera.us
