There was once a DRAM operation which, like most DRAM operations, most of the time made a big loss.
After a three year loss-making run for the business, the manager of the operation said: "Those three years were the most satisfying of my business life because everyone thought the DRAM business was dead, there was a decision to close it, and no one wanted to be associated with it, so I had the ultimate freedom. No one could really interfere, because no one wanted to be seen with a failure."
Then, as happens in the DRAM business, famine was abruptly succeeded by feast.
"In 1995, the DRAM business made a profit of DM 600 million on sales of DM 1.7 billion," recalls the manager.
"I will never forget when a board member called me and said: 'Your business is so big, you can't take care of it by yourself. I'm going to help you'."
"I politely rejected the offer."
MORAL: Success has Many Fathers; Failure Is An Orphan
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