The grips didn't fit the frames and they still shipped them out!!!
New President & CEO @ RUGER
- Thread starter G2
- Start date
Yaworski
Hawkeye
That allows for user customization. ;)
GypsmJim
GypsmJim
I am a degreed Engineer with over 50 years of professional experience. At one point in my career I saw that MBAs were moving upward quite rapidly, so I also pursued an MBA. About half way thru I dropped out because I could not stand the crap they were teaching. With 10 years of practical real world experience under my belt, it was clear that the MBA teachings were all wrong.
Later on, whenever I had to deal with an MBA I cringed. As a hiring manager in later years anyone with that degree was omitted from potential candidates. For workers that would be in the factory on the line every day, my employee of choice had an AAS and was willing to work hard. I was right every time. Ask an MBA to get his hands dirty and they would probably cry.....
Yaworski had no response on the link to the 10 page thread (post # 102) that answered his question.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
Did I hurt your feelings?
I'll play BTDT and I'll bet some of you will have been there with me.
The company built semi-custom machines from basic successful designs. Sales/marketing came in with specs for a "slight revision" to the base machine. I and a couple other "lead designers" were assigned to the task. We looked it over, and at the preliminary design review we said, yeah, it's kinda neat, but it still performs the same function, so why do it? The answer was "because we'll sell it as new-and-improved." We said it'll cost more than the current design, and they said you can smooth that out after we build a couple, and we said OK, we'll give it our best shot. So we did. And we built the prototype, and it was neat. And it came in at considerably higher cost than the original, just as we feared.
So there was another design review meeting. Short story long, in addition to going to all the latest servo-controlled motions specified, the machine shop said all the new parts were too expensive to manufacture. We asked the machine shop to identify the offending parts for redesign where possible. They couldn't do so. Hmmmm. We acknowledged that given the opportunity to review the servo stuff and get purchasing involved in sourcing those bits from a better supplier the cost would come down some, but we had done our job to the best of our abilities and if it was desired we'd gladly defer to another design team. Much grumbling . . . and the project was dropped.
They tried to sell the fully-functional prototype to a long-standing customer, who declined and asked for another of our original machines. The prototype sat in the shop for several months until it was essentially given to another customer at a loss. And nobody got fired.
PS . . . Interesting as it might be, the customer who got the prototype likes it very much and hasn't had any problems with it.
;)
The company built semi-custom machines from basic successful designs. Sales/marketing came in with specs for a "slight revision" to the base machine. I and a couple other "lead designers" were assigned to the task. We looked it over, and at the preliminary design review we said, yeah, it's kinda neat, but it still performs the same function, so why do it? The answer was "because we'll sell it as new-and-improved." We said it'll cost more than the current design, and they said you can smooth that out after we build a couple, and we said OK, we'll give it our best shot. So we did. And we built the prototype, and it was neat. And it came in at considerably higher cost than the original, just as we feared.
So there was another design review meeting. Short story long, in addition to going to all the latest servo-controlled motions specified, the machine shop said all the new parts were too expensive to manufacture. We asked the machine shop to identify the offending parts for redesign where possible. They couldn't do so. Hmmmm. We acknowledged that given the opportunity to review the servo stuff and get purchasing involved in sourcing those bits from a better supplier the cost would come down some, but we had done our job to the best of our abilities and if it was desired we'd gladly defer to another design team. Much grumbling . . . and the project was dropped.
They tried to sell the fully-functional prototype to a long-standing customer, who declined and asked for another of our original machines. The prototype sat in the shop for several months until it was essentially given to another customer at a loss. And nobody got fired.
PS . . . Interesting as it might be, the customer who got the prototype likes it very much and hasn't had any problems with it.
;)
Last edited:
If I understand the JT PPP grip issue, they were all undersized. You can't stretch them to fit. I have custom fit several Paul Persinger grips for a customer with a AAA++ personality. First a pair was real ivory on a Colt P model and then Bird's eye maple on another P model. I was more afraid that I would scratch the grip frame than ruin the grip.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
Brownell's sells a grip & stock stretcher.
I have been lurking on this thread. It may be that no else thought of it, but accept a squirt about Magnum Research I didn't see much in terms of actual firearms experience. One might count Vista, but given that company's scope, I don't. I'll give anyone a chance, but the first clue will be firearms on shelves or not.
You, hurt my feelings?
Never happen. It only shows me you're not looking for answers to your questions, only something to argue about. I won't bother with you again.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
Looks like I did. Now go away before I taunt you a second time.You, hurt my feelings?
I've been out riding and didn't get back for a bit. Recovering now.
I advised my oldest Daughter to minor in BA getting her MBA as an aside to her actual subject of interest for advancement opportunities long term.
Brownell's sell everything, but everything is "not in stock".
instructor
Single-Sixer
My education includes having a BS degree in Chemistry and an MBA and a Civil Engineer as well, so as a result spent something close to 40 years working for a large mining equipment firm and prior to retirement held the position of VP and General Manager of the firm. The firm had a group known as the Engineering Department specializing in materials handling products, crushing plants, asphalt plants, etc. The manager of that department was a graduate engineer as well as his assistant and a crew of draftsmen. Each department was directed to supply an annualized report for the balance of the year and hopefully projecting a profit for that department. After reviewing a decade of such reports, it was found that no year's projections forecast a profit. Pointing out these results with the manager and his assistant was told that "they were not concerned with a profit for they were "engineers," not business oriented people!! Well, it was crystal clear that these people could not read nor understand a Profit and Loss statement or any accounting programs either. Whether the head of a department
is an engineer or an Art major you most definitely need a full understanding that any business must make a profit if it is to survive and grow. The entire engineering department was dismissed by an MBA, me.
Childeren! Please! If i had to choose between the two of you, i would choose one of you!
GypsmJim
GypsmJim
I wore many hats during my 50 year career. One was designing new products. A major part of every endeavor was to evaluate the economics. Once developed, it was presented to the Marketing department for their approval. If it didn't meet company guidelines, the project was scrapped.
Times have changed a lot. Back in the 1970's a 4 year ROI was acceptable. The last company I worked for required 1 year.
If an Engineer or Art Major doesn't understand that I would blame the Company Management. Everyone needs to be given some rules and requirements or they can't do their job.
Another hat I wore was as the Manager of the Engineering Technical Service Department. Our duties were to assist 21 manufacturing facilities with process optimization, energy savings, etc. My Accountability was to achieve $500,000 in savings every year. I knew I would not be fired if I didn't meet it, but I also knew my raise was dependent upon it. It was my responsibility to nag all of my direct reports to be diligent in documenting everything they did, and put a price tag on it. We rarely achieved less that $1MM each year.
Last edited:
At GE Lighting Systems, we were required to create products that broke even in 6 months. You knew you had a winner if the competition started copying your design.
Now at 139 comments I think we've beat this horse to slow and painful death. Why don't we lay off a bit and see what the new Ruger boss does with the company and then criticize or praise him.
GypsmJim
GypsmJim
I was once charged to develop a product that looked just like the competitor's, but had an added value. When I started there were 3 competitors. One had a 50% market share, my company had 30% and the last had 20%.
It took a year but it hit the market like a storm.
The 3rd competitor dropped the product line all together. The big guy eventually caught up and gained a 20% market share. My gadget captured 80% of the market and has kept it for many years.
Boy did I get a raise that year.
