Focus on Solutions Not on Problems (Good 1) - Case studies

pramod · #1 (**permalink**) 18-05-2005, 11:51 AM

Focus on solutions not on problems

Underwater pen

When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that
the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (Ink won't flow down to the writing
surface). In order to solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12
million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down,
underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.

And what did the Russians do?

They used a Pencil!

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Simple intelligence

One of the most memorable case studies I came across 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 authorities 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, 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.

But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the
same problem, 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.

Keep it small and simple!

soms23 · #2 (**permalink**) 18-05-2005, 07:18 PM

Hey,

The japanese case was too good. It is true that often in life petty issues would be come huge more because of our anxiety and thoughtlessness.

Good article...

Regards,
Soumya Shankar

sunayna · #3 (**permalink**) 19-05-2005, 10:35 AM

wow.....tht wt i call smart thinking

i wish everyone wld post articles like this

anrun_2000 · #4 (**permalink**) 26-05-2005, 07:03 PM

Hi all,

See this attached presentation. Its really interesting..

REgards
Anu

pramod · #5 (**permalink**) 26-05-2005, 07:09 PM

please attach the file again, it has Zero bytes,

anrun_2000 · #6 (**permalink**) 26-05-2005, 07:18 PM

I have a small doubt. Can i be able to attach a file with the extension as .pps but it is a ppt presentation.

Kindly help

Anu

pramod · #7 (**permalink**) 26-05-2005, 07:23 PM

you can attach, even this is 0 bytes, I think you are attaching the shortcut, not the original file, check once again

anrun_2000 · #8 (**permalink**) 26-05-2005, 07:30 PM

Let me try

Regards
Anu

sunayna · #9 (**permalink**) 26-05-2005, 11:44 PM

hihihi
funnny
liked it...will definitely try it
n send the irritated ppl to u

sunayna · #10 (**permalink**) 20-06-2005, 12:30 AM

Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of
owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender.

The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful
daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter.
Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the
cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.
He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an
empty money bag.

Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her
father's debt would be forgiven.

2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's
debt would still be forgiven.

3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into
jail.

They were standing o! n a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they
talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them
up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and
put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field.

What would you have done if you were the girl?

If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and
expose the money-lender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to
save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the
hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and
logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional
logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical
answers.

What would you recommend to the Girl to do?

Well, here is what she did ....

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without
looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where
it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag
for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked
the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty,
the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely
advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Most complex problems do have a solution. It ! is only that we don't attempt to think.

really smart na?

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