Sad joke.
#1
02-12-2008 | 09:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11
From:
Sad joke.
Someone sent me this joke in an email. It might be a sad-but-true one.
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.
GM 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.
Sad, but oh so true! Here's something else to think about: GM 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 GM racked up 9 billion in losses. GM folks are still scratching their heads. Don't even think about Ford.....*
What do you guys think?
~Dave
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.
GM 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.
Sad, but oh so true! Here's something else to think about: GM 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 GM racked up 9 billion in losses. GM folks are still scratching their heads. Don't even think about Ford.....*
What do you guys think?
~Dave
#2
03-06-2008 | 12:09 AM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4
RE: Sad joke.
wow, i never knew these things did happen to GM and Toyota. But how come the 2 giant companies are said to be the closest rivals if GM loses a lot of money each year? Anyway, the parable was cool man, it really embodied the real happenings inside GM company and Toyota, which surprised me big time and made me think. Where did you get this parable? I guess it's not a joke, but a sad story. I'm glad i entered this thread after a tiring day of fixing my Cadillac Seville radiator
Thanks a lot Dave49, i learned something great today!
Thanks a lot Dave49, i learned something great today!
#3
04-19-2008 | 12:01 AM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 15
From:
RE: Sad joke.
I am an IT Manager at a fortune 500 company. Several IT managers within my group often share stories about the auto industry relating to process and management. This is because we are car nuts and many businesses can learn from all the GM vs Toyota stories. Thus, my motivation to forward this posting to them.
One of my peer managers had a response I was not expecting:
When I ran into him later in the day, he mentioned there were at least 30 Chrysler managers at this conference. If Chrysler is struggling, why are they sending their management team to expensive conferences? It sounds like they sould be rolling up their sleeves and take care of the shop. More troubling is the management attitude. Can you image asking to be laid off and then taking a training/trip on the company dime. I feel bad for the folks who work for this manager as they work hard to put the final product together. I want happy employees assembling my next car.
Is Chrysler going to be OK? Please, someone give me some sunshine!
One of my peer managers had a response I was not expecting:
Re-reading this reminded me of who I sat with at this week's seminar in Detroit: a mid-level engineering manager from Chrysler. She struck me as highly competent. I admitted to buying a Prius after a lifetime of owning (and having more than a few mechanical problems with) US vehicles. We got to talking about her job and what was happening to her employer. In a
nutshell, she said the new owners were outsourcing almost everything (including functions like HR and Purchasing) and cutting so far back on engineering funds that it was impossible for her engineers to do their jobs at the level she felt was adequate. (Bottom line here: even if you love Chrysler vehicles now, watch out for the new stuff in a couple years).
At the end of the day, I said something like "hope you get through the rough times ahead without too many problems". Her reply was "Oh, don't worry about me...I've requested they lay me off."
nutshell, she said the new owners were outsourcing almost everything (including functions like HR and Purchasing) and cutting so far back on engineering funds that it was impossible for her engineers to do their jobs at the level she felt was adequate. (Bottom line here: even if you love Chrysler vehicles now, watch out for the new stuff in a couple years).
At the end of the day, I said something like "hope you get through the rough times ahead without too many problems". Her reply was "Oh, don't worry about me...I've requested they lay me off."
Is Chrysler going to be OK? Please, someone give me some sunshine!
#4
04-24-2008 | 05:17 PM
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 22
From:
RE: Sad joke.
I am tired tonight, but I have heard this story told a several timed, but with European companies. Whatever we do, China (Japan is not the enymy)is the largest country in the world.. and in 15 years or so they will use surpreme economicalpower. So we better beprepared..As it looks now, we will all be lead by China in 2020. Good or bad, I dont know. But China has hidden ghosts to come out of the closet..As living in Sweden; Europe, China and USA will work this our peacefully, butmy feeling is strong that China takes the game..sry.
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