The article doesn't discuss the argument of the title "What Indian B-schools don't teach". Instead there is a comparison between American and Japanese approach to problem solving!
While the story of the Icecream v/s the car seems interesting a quick search on the net reveals that the complaint was supposed to have been about a "Pontiac" of General motors and not a Japanese car.
While I am not sure whom to believe,the story surely has a good moral, that the solution is not always obvious. But using it to justifying a country's business culture without verifying the facts is a little absurd.
Brilliant. The story is just amazing and it definitely illustrates the difference in problem solving approaches. However, I would like to add that XLRI, Jamshedpur has two courses for its PGCBM programme which cater to the comparison between these different styles. They are called as ' Organizational Development' and ' International Management.' I am an alumnus of this programme. I can very well say that these two courses cater to the different styles not only in Japan and US but also European firms. They are very much contemporary and the method, obviously is Case Study.
American workers are only interested in the job or process they are working on. This makes them master in the process but they don't know anything about the final output. But Japanese workers are master of their process and take due interest in studying about the final product. They actually "go to gemba"..........
I agree that B-Schools do not pay much attention on these small aspects. but nowadays we can not say that we have not been taught this or that thing in our classrooms. Globalisation has made life tougher and one needs to learn by hook or by crook.
I used to have a similar experience about 8 years back with my Ford Escort - it simply would not start when I return after a few minutes back to my car. I then leave it for abt. 20 minutes and crank the keys and lo it starts as if nothng had happened. I never realised it was a vapour lock nor the service dept. of Ford Bangalore, infact they never could admit there could be such a problem.But something told me that if I left the car alone for some time it would start the next time I cranked the key.
I believe this write-up serves a very good eye opener to the styles of management that prevail in our society. We seem to be more driven by the US style fociussing on quick implementation and expect predicted results ... whcih never happen. Perhaps its time we incorporate the Jap style and broaden the planning style.
The very first line pinched me - American mgmt style and Japanese mgmt stlye. It seems Mr Vaidya has just finsished reading "SONY Made in Japan". I wonder if he knows any more mangament styles and would have been good to hear about those too.
I have read this mail through several forwarded mails, I am doubting the credibility of the incident now. Could you please lets us know the name of the japanese car company.
