To err is, er, 'management potential'

He then concludes that supply of materials to the line is the problem and fires the warehouse manager. But the materials weren't in the warehouse in the first place - so he fires the logistics manager.

Now materials are in place. But they are wrong materials; so the planning manager has to go. With the right materials finally in place, the not-so-new boss finds he still can't meet production requirements. Machine availability is key, so out goes the maintenance manager. And with a keen new maintenance manager in place it becomes clear that there aren't enough skilled people in place. The HR manager gets the chop.

Then it transpires that the people were badly trained, and that was the responsibility of the production manager. The main board decides that the new boss hasn't performed quickly enough and looks for a replacement. And so the cycle begins again ... and again.

And for the whole of the plant wondering what has happened, the moral of this not so untypical story is simple: 'To err is human, to forgive is divine ... and to blame it on someone else is management potential.'

Mal Reade is senior consultant Suiko

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