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Corporate America - 3/24/2008 3:54:47 PM

Mercnbeth

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Posted this in humor because I didn't want to take the time to do a search and validate the fundamental truths provided...

So enjoy...

...or be depressed...

A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (Ford) 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 .

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.

< Message edited by Mercnbeth -- 3/24/2008 3:55:24 PM >

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RE: Corporate America - 3/24/2008 8:08:34 PM

angelbluewingsz

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tis a crying shame too

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RE: Corporate America - 3/24/2008 11:25:10 PM

JulieorSarah

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Change the industry and the country, and I work for 'Ford'!

CEO just awarded himself a huge pay increase, and some were then made redundant, the remaining staff's workload is increasing, so they are leaving and the CEO doesn't understand why ... he's thinking of hiring a HR expert!

Yes the humour section is the place for it!

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RE: Corporate America - 3/25/2008 9:00:12 AM

AMaster

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Sad, but true.

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RE: Corporate America - 3/25/2008 1:23:11 PM

Gemini1766

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There's more to it though.

Ford and the other big American automanufacturers are stuck with the unions who ask for more, more, more, but their workers do less, less, less.

In the Toyota factory there no "I do this and only this" (points to putting on hubcaps on a truck line) "and you can't make me do that" (points to putting hubcaps on a car line). Toyota pays less overall for each worker, and every worker does multiple jobs, across the "lines" that the US Automaker Union workers won't/can't due to contracts.

Remember folks, Unions are good, when run properly for the right purposes. When used to blackmail a company, all they do is kill the company and destroy the jobs, or make the jobs go where they are cheeper.

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RE: Corporate America - 3/25/2008 1:39:01 PM

mslecuir

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What a great joke! But is it really? Probably not to those who are living it. I was an Exec. for a global cortoration for years and I recently retired last March. Here is part of an related artice that I wrote..

This weeks subject…I’m BUSY. For most, its work, family and other general constraints. But guess what? We are ALL busy! Many are obsessed with the almighty $$$. But let me ask you this? What’s your life worth? I retired from a lucrative position because I saw the writing on the wall. Your employer will use you and then spit you out when you are no longer any use to them. Case in point…I had an employee who worked for me, he was 58 years old. I know fully well that work was his life. He was fully eligible for retirement. The company came out with an ERO (early retirement option) which would have added 5 years to his age and also to his service, basically it would have added $500 to his monthly pension check. He turned it down. One month later he had a heart attack and died right on the job. He never collected a dime of his pension. I vividly remember the staff meeting the following day…our manager mentioned that he had died and that services were pending and without skipping a beat he went right into business issues…Right then and there I had an epiphany...when you are no longer useful to your employer they sweep you under the rug like yesterdays dirt. I realize that many are stuck in a “good rut”, they make good money but are strapped with constraints like too many bills! Ask yourselves something…Do I use my extra money (from overtime or bonuses) to pay bills or living expenses? If you are then you are living beyond your means and have on the “Golden handcuffs”. Right where your employer wants you to be. New house? New car? Trips on credit cards? Great! They love to see it! I also see many buying lottery tickets wishing and hoping they will win and it will change their lives for the better. All I have to say to that is, don’t wish your life away!
So continue to work hard and bust your butt for your employer…They ultimately want their name on your tombstone, right below yours.
Ms Le Cuir

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