Think HR Think CHRM
Thursday - 24 May 2012

CHRMGlobal.com on LinkedIn
Username : Password: Forgot Password?
Problem Vs Solutions
Human Resources » Case Studies


Chrm Message From: ankur.shah Total Posts: 23 Join Date: 26/02/2007
Rank: Executive Post Date: 21/11/2011 05:09:37 Points: 115 Location: United States

Problem
One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged 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,
 
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 soapbox 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
 

 
Events
 
Related Discussion
Learn to Focus on Solutio
Material Happiness Vs Tru
The Art of Problem Solvin
A Knot of a Problem
problem solving
Work related practices an
Problem & Solving
“Right vs. Wrong” - “Righ
Manager vs Leader - Balan
Solving the Current Emplo
 
Related Articles
The Art of Brain Storming
Managing Employees with a
The 8D Problem Solving Pr
EQ vs IQ