>>>>>>>>I once work for a company that seemed to have idea that there was no problem bid enough that hiring more managers would not make worse. With 3 design/developers and over 30 managers it not surprising the company failed.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>This joke is floating around the web. My mom, who spends too much time on internet humor, sent it to me. If you haven't read it yet, it is quite funny:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (Ford Motors) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile. The Americans, very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Their conclusion was the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team had 7 people steering and 2 people rowing.
>>>>>>>>>Feeling a deeper study was in order; American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion.
>>>>>>>>>They advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Not sure of how to utilize that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 2 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 2 people rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the 'Rowing Team Quality First Program,' with meetings, dinners and free pens for the rowers. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices and bonuses. The pension program was trimmed to 'equal the competition' and some of the resultant savings were channeled into morale boosting programs and teamwork posters.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The next year the Japanese won by two miles.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Humiliated, the American management laid-off one rower, halted development of a new canoe, sold all the paddles, and cancelled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The next year, try as he might, the lone designated rower was unable to even finish the race (having no paddles,) so he was laid off for unacceptable performance, all canoe equipment was sold and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to India ..
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Sadly, the End.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Here's something else to think about: Ford has spent the last thirty years moving all its factories out of the US , claiming they can't make money paying American wages.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>TOYOTA has spent the last thirty years building more than a dozen plants inside the US. The last quarter's results:
>>>>>>>>>TOYOTA makes 4 billion in profits while Ford racked up 9 billion in losses
>>>>>>>>>For folks are still scratching their heads....and collecting bonuses
>>>>>>>>>and now they want the government to bail them out.
>>>>>>>>>....if this weren't so true, it might be funny....
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Bear in mind that one of the reasons for assembling vehicles in the US is that politically it would be a problem if all those vehicles where imported.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Too much politics. The main reason to assemble cars in USA is transportation expense. It is expensive to transport non-containerizable cargoes, e.g. cars.
>>>>>
>>>>>Cars are shipped on special car racks. From stowage/transportation standpoint, not much diff to a standard container cargo.
>>>>
>>>>I didn't say that they cannot be shipped. My point was to explain new Toyota, Nissan etc. plants in USA. Do you admit their existence?
>>>
>>>Are you sure transportation costs are the major factor? I thought Japan has a 'voluntary' import quota into the U.S - they'd ship in more if it were allowed.....
>>
>>It is not only Japan; there are German and Korean car-making plants in USA. Import quotas are outlawed by WTO.
>
>So they called it 'voluntary export restraint' instead. Whilst it was in force it surely gave non-U.S. based manufacturers a big incentive to being production in the U.S. ?

Could you produce any proof, or even mention, of 'voluntary export restraint' exercised by Germany or Korea in regard to exports to USA?