The Canoe Race: A Modern Parable

[almaty 19]

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.

So American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion.

They advised that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.

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!!!!

[charmac7 4]

I would laugh but it is so close to the truth it is scary

I think this is the model that USCIS uses

Char

[Mirorgate 0]

Yeah, sounds right, right down to the bonus applied and to whom.

Edited February 14, 2006 by Mirorgate

[tsunamihart 0]

Yeah, sounds right, even in Telecom. Everyone's a manager to someone else.

Yeah but when they promote you to Manager at 7Eleven they give you a new hat and let you work 12hours a day instead of 8hours and all for 50 cents an hour more! ......

[almaty 19]

I would laugh but it is so close to the truth it is scary

I think this is the model that USCIS uses

Char

so true char..so true