INTERNET HUMOR PAGES

Total Quality Canoeing

A Japanese company and a American company decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri river. Both teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak performance before the race.

On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.

Afterwards, the American team became very discouraged and depressed. The management of the American company decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found. A "Measurement 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 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 four steering supervisors, three area steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent steering manager.

They also implemented a new performance system that would give the one 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. "We must give the rower empowerment and enrichment through this quality program."

The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

Humiliated, the management of California company laid off the rower for poor performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles and canceled all capital investments for new equipment. Then they used the money saved by giving a High Performance Award to the steering managers and distributed the rest of the money as bonuses to the senior executives. The next year's racing team was outsourced to India.

If there is no menu on the left side of the screen, you need to click here to activate the menu.

hosting by 1and1.com and Chrome Oxide Music
created and maintained by Chrome Oxide
contact Chrome Oxide