Just curious - do the Toyota plants (in America) have the same union as
the American automakers?
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robert Kondner
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 8:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] A Modern Parable
HI,
In America the really smart people figured they could make more money
being
Investment Bankers.
Also, GM does well outside North America, figure that one out.
Bob Kondner
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ken Bloomquist
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 10:58 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] A Modern Parable
It's Friday so it's time to stir the pot!
A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (Ford 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 7 people steering and 2 people 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, 2 area steering superintendents
and 1
assistant superintendent steering manager.
They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 2
people
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
rowers. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other
equipment, extra vacation days for practices and bonuses. The pension
program was trimmed to 'equal the competition' and some of the resultant
savings were channeled into morale-boosting programs and teamwork
posters.
The next year the Japanese won by two miles.
Humiliated, the American management laid off one rower, halted
development
of a new canoe, sold all the paddles, and canceled all capital
investments
for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior
Executives
as bonuses.
The next year, try as he might, the lone designated rower was unable to
even
finish the race (having no paddles,) so he was laid off for unacceptable
performance, all canoe equipment was sold 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, and collecting bonuses...
IF THIS WEREN'T SO TRUE IT MIGHT BE FUNNY
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