|
Problem |
One
of the most memorable case studies
on Japanese management was the case
of the empty soap box, which happened
in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics
companies. The company received a
complaint that a consumer had bought
a soap box that was empty. Immediately
the thorities isolated the problem
to the assembly line, which transported
all the packaged boxes of soap to
the delivery department. For some
reason, one soap box went through
the assembly line empty. Management
asked its engineers to solve the problem.
Post-haste, |
|
Solution
A |
the engineers worked hard to devise
an X-ray machine with high-resolution
monitors manned by two people to watch
all the soap boxes that passed through
the line to make sure they were not
empty. No doubt, they worked hard and
they worked fast but they spent whoopee
amount to do so |
|
Solution
B |
But
when a rank-and-file employee in a small
company was posed with the same problem,
he did not get into complications of
X-rays, etc but instead came out with
another solution. He bought a strong
industrial electric fan and pointed
it at the assembly line. He switched
the fan on, and as each soap box passed
the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes
out of the line. |
Moral
of the story: " Keep It Short & Simple"
!! i.e. always look for simple solutions.
Devise the simplest possible solution that
solves the problem. So, learn to focus on
solutions not on problems
