ABSTRACT
From 1945 to 1951, General Douglas MacArthur headed the Allied occupation of Japan with the basic mandate to demilitarize Japan and re-establish it as a democratic nation. Several members of MacArthur’s staff were familiar with TWI and recognized two main benefits it could offer.2 First, since the war had decimated the Japanese economy, rebuilding it would include a significant amount of training. TWI had proven that the use of its programs resulted in exceptional productivity gains through training. Secondly, the United States recognized that democratic principles were inherent in the TWI “J” programs. The Job Relations program teaches one to “Treat people as individuals,” “Let each worker know how he/she is doing,” and “Tell people in advance about changes which will affect them,” as examples. The Job Methods program teaches one to check with all concerned when making changes. These concepts emphasizing that everyone is valuable and has something to offer were important in helping Japan transform into a democratic society.
