America vs. Japan (canoe race)

[alfonso2501]

I got this in another forum that I frequent. I don’t usually post in this here parts but I thought it would be a nice contribution.


> 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.

[Muscletang]

[fredjacksonsan]

Yeah, but still as it's true.

[VR43000GT]

[taranaki]

missed it the first time round, and if it's any consolation to those who feel that America gets picked on all the time, it applies to most of the old school industrialised countries too. Good for a giggle!