ABSTRACT
When we perform an activity, it is composed of principles and other actions that are suited to the particular situation. The TWI Service was charged with increasing the productivity of all the defense contractors in the USA during World War II. The developers were aware of the principles required to accomplish this goal, but they had to determine methods so that those principles would be followed across the country. They created four programs based on these principles and on the culture in the country at the time. They knew that cultures varied from company to company and so they had to create programs that were blind to these differences. Although people have not really changed much since TWI was developed in the 1940s, society has. The TWI Service could not have created methods to be used in today’s society because they could not see today’s society. If they had, the 2015 methods would not have been as effective in a 1940s’ society. For example, the Trainer’s Manual says we should put the participants at ease at the start of a session because people learn better when they are not nervous. The manual suggests lighting a cigarette. That may have been acceptable in 1940, but it would not be acceptable today. What has not changed, however, is that the participants should be put at ease and made to feel comfortable because it still holds true that people learn better when they are not nervous.
