shooter575
02-12-2007, 09:58 AM
The Canoe Race: A Modern Parable
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
outsourced to India.
The End.
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
outsourced to India.
The End.