The Corporate Boat Race

[louixo]

An American automobile company and a Japanese auto company decided to have a competitive boat race on the Detroit River. Both teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak performance. On the big day, they were as ready as they could be.

The Japanese team won by a mile.

Afterwards, the American team became discouraged by the loss and their morale sagged. Corporate management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found. A Continuous Measurable Improvement Team of "Executives" was set up to investigate the problem and to recommend appropriate corrective action.

Their conclusion: The problem was that the Japanese team had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, whereas the American team had 1 person rowing and 8 people steering. The American Corporate Steering Committee immediately hired a consulting firm to do a study on the management structure.

After some time and billions of dollars, the consulting firm concluded that "too many people were steering and not enough rowing." To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year, the management structure was changed to "4 Steering Managers, 3 Area Steering Managers, and 1 Staff Steering Manager" and a new performance system for the person rowing the boat to give more incentive to work harder and become a six sigma performer. "We must give him empowerment and enrichment." That ought to do it.

The next year the Japanese team won by two miles.

The American Corporation laid off the rower for poor performance, sold all of the paddles, cancelled all capital investments for new equipment, halted development of a new canoe, awarded high performance awards to the consulting firm, and distributed the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.

[Packmule]

This is so close to reality that it's almost not a joke!!!!!!

Dan

[Pappy]

Seems like I worked for this company for about 5 minutes one day!
Pappy
35 years OTR T/T:P :P :P

[joebob1_30132]

Yeah but what you didnt tell in the joke is the 200 lbs weight around the neck of the rower.. you the health care, 5.5 hrs of productivity in an 8 hr work day, the madatory layoff pay, all the vacation benifits. and about 80 lbs worth of cry baby tears he caries around in a bucket, because he wants more more more, not leaving much for his kids, they will be at walmart pushing carts. why !!! because he has made himself so weak with big daddy taking care of him ..He couldnt find his way out of a macdonalds drive through... Oh yeah.. you forgot the the spectaotrs watch on the side lines... that would be the labor leaders stuffing their face with BBQ and beer, over on the shore, laughing at their usful idiots rowing,and taking a break ,rowing and taking abreak,rowing taking avacation. When labor gets through sucking their host dry, I dare them to come after my tax dollors. My neighbor pedro will put him to work, or he can work for daughter,but I warn you any crying, they go home MAN UP

[greg334]

You can also apply this to some Pharmaceutical companies.