PiCASSO
02-25-2005, 06:34 PM
\"In case you\'ve wondered or If I just didn\'t answer adequately, below
describes the job of an automotive supplier to a \"T\" for supplying
automotive parts to one of the three domestic auto makers. We\'ll use a
baked potato in place of any component supplied to one of our car makers:\"
How a Honda employee bakes a potato:
Preheat new, high-quality oven to 350 F.
Insert a 1.0 lb Idaho potato.
Go do something productive for 45 minutes
Check for doneness, then remove perfectly baked potato from oven and
serve
How a Ford employee bakes a potato:
Conduct market test with suppliers in Mexico, Brazil, and Turkistan to
supply 0.75 lb potatoes, choose lowest cost supplier with best Red Wings
tickets.
Change to incumbent supplier of Idaho potatoes, insist they meet
Turkistan pricing with 3% annual price reductions.
Upgrade to 1.0 lb potato, insist supplier erred by pricing for 0.75 lbs
as instructed even though supplier knows Ford spec is for 1.0 lb
potatoes.
Instruct potato supplier to preheat the oven to 350 F, demand that the
supplier show you how he turned the dial to reach 350 F, and have him
produce documentation from the oven manufacturer proving that it was
calibrated properly.
Review documentation, then have supplier check the temperature using a
sophisticated temperature probe (at supplier cost).
Direct supplier to insert potato and set timer for 45 minutes.
Have supplier open oven to prove potato has been installed correctly,
and request a free study proving that 45 minutes is the ideal time to
bake a potato of this size and variability due to orientation within the
oven.
Request a Six Sigma Study showing variable cook times for various potato
sizes and orientations. Check potato for doneness after 10 minutes.
Check potato for doneness after 11 minutes.
Check potato for doneness after 12 minutes.
Become impatient with supplier (why is this simple potato taking so long
to bake?).
Demand status reports every five minutes.
Conduct Value Engineering session and new market test Change to 0.9 lb
potato because marketing determine that customers will only notice if
potato weight is reduced if reduced to 0.85 lb. Check potato for
doneness after 15 minutes...
After 35 minutes, conclude that potato is nearing completion.
Pass through Gate review reporting all Green status.
Congratulate supplier, then update your boss on all the great work
you\'ve done, despite having to work with such an uncooperative supplier.
Remove potato from oven after 40 minutes of baking, as a cost save
without loss of function or quality versus the original 45 minute baking
time.
Serve potato.
Conclude that end users taste must be deficient when warranty claims
indicate undercooked potatoes of varying consistency.
Dispute potato supplier documentation that explicit instruction was
given to reduce cooking time, and insist the supplier replace the
potatoes from the warranty claims at their cost. Threaten to desource
potato supplier because they had the audacity to imply it was not their
fault.
Repeat procedure.
Wonder aloud what on earth what those Japanese folks are doing over
there to make such good, low-cost baked potatoes that people seem to
like better than Ford potatoes.
describes the job of an automotive supplier to a \"T\" for supplying
automotive parts to one of the three domestic auto makers. We\'ll use a
baked potato in place of any component supplied to one of our car makers:\"
How a Honda employee bakes a potato:
Preheat new, high-quality oven to 350 F.
Insert a 1.0 lb Idaho potato.
Go do something productive for 45 minutes
Check for doneness, then remove perfectly baked potato from oven and
serve
How a Ford employee bakes a potato:
Conduct market test with suppliers in Mexico, Brazil, and Turkistan to
supply 0.75 lb potatoes, choose lowest cost supplier with best Red Wings
tickets.
Change to incumbent supplier of Idaho potatoes, insist they meet
Turkistan pricing with 3% annual price reductions.
Upgrade to 1.0 lb potato, insist supplier erred by pricing for 0.75 lbs
as instructed even though supplier knows Ford spec is for 1.0 lb
potatoes.
Instruct potato supplier to preheat the oven to 350 F, demand that the
supplier show you how he turned the dial to reach 350 F, and have him
produce documentation from the oven manufacturer proving that it was
calibrated properly.
Review documentation, then have supplier check the temperature using a
sophisticated temperature probe (at supplier cost).
Direct supplier to insert potato and set timer for 45 minutes.
Have supplier open oven to prove potato has been installed correctly,
and request a free study proving that 45 minutes is the ideal time to
bake a potato of this size and variability due to orientation within the
oven.
Request a Six Sigma Study showing variable cook times for various potato
sizes and orientations. Check potato for doneness after 10 minutes.
Check potato for doneness after 11 minutes.
Check potato for doneness after 12 minutes.
Become impatient with supplier (why is this simple potato taking so long
to bake?).
Demand status reports every five minutes.
Conduct Value Engineering session and new market test Change to 0.9 lb
potato because marketing determine that customers will only notice if
potato weight is reduced if reduced to 0.85 lb. Check potato for
doneness after 15 minutes...
After 35 minutes, conclude that potato is nearing completion.
Pass through Gate review reporting all Green status.
Congratulate supplier, then update your boss on all the great work
you\'ve done, despite having to work with such an uncooperative supplier.
Remove potato from oven after 40 minutes of baking, as a cost save
without loss of function or quality versus the original 45 minute baking
time.
Serve potato.
Conclude that end users taste must be deficient when warranty claims
indicate undercooked potatoes of varying consistency.
Dispute potato supplier documentation that explicit instruction was
given to reduce cooking time, and insist the supplier replace the
potatoes from the warranty claims at their cost. Threaten to desource
potato supplier because they had the audacity to imply it was not their
fault.
Repeat procedure.
Wonder aloud what on earth what those Japanese folks are doing over
there to make such good, low-cost baked potatoes that people seem to
like better than Ford potatoes.