Case 1
When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found outthat the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down tothe writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decadeand US$12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity,upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystaland in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C. And what did the Russians do...?? They used a pencil.
Case 2
One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was thecase of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan 's biggestcosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumerhad bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authoritiesisolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all thepackaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason,one soapbox went through the assembly line empty.
Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, theengineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolutionmonitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passedthrough the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, theyworked hard and they worked fast but they spent a huge amount to do so.
But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed withthe same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc.,but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strongindustrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. Heswitched the fan on, and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simplyblew the empty boxes out of the line.
Moral: Always look for simple solutions.
Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems
Always Focus on solutions & not on problems
When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found outthat the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down tothe writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decadeand US$12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity,upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystaland in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C. And what did the Russians do...?? They used a pencil.
Case 2
One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was thecase of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan 's biggestcosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumerhad bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authoritiesisolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all thepackaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason,one soapbox went through the assembly line empty.
Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, theengineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolutionmonitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passedthrough the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, theyworked hard and they worked fast but they spent a huge amount to do so.
But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed withthe same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc.,but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strongindustrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. Heswitched the fan on, and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simplyblew the empty boxes out of the line.
Moral: Always look for simple solutions.
Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems
Always Focus on solutions & not on problems
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