bussiness

American Business At It's Best
A Japanese company and an American company 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.
Afterward, the American team became very discouraged and morally depressed.
The American management decided the reason for the crushing defeat had to be
found. A Management Team made up of senior management was formed to
investigate
and recommend appropriate action.
Their conclusion was the Japanese had eight people rowing and one person
steering, while the American team had eight people steering and one person
rowing.
So American management hired a consulting company and paid them an
incredible
amount of money.
After six months of hard work, they advised that too many people were
steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing. So the American Team
acted:
To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year, the rowing team's
management
structure was totally reorganized to four steering supervisors, three 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.
Even new paddles and medical benefit incentives were promised for a winner.
"We must give the rower the empowerment and enrichments through this quality
program."
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 for a
job well done.