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Please Excuse the format and don't let it detract from the story. From a email and I couldn't figure out how to fix it w/out consulting the proper committee...

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.__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 tha t 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 _out-sourced to India ._

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