Myron Tribus interviews Homer Sarasohn in Arizona. Sarasohn says he was in the paratroops during World War II and worked at the radiation lab at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) developing search radar. He talks about his first jobs doing research in modulation and his work for Raytheon. Sarasohn then discusses his work in Japan following his visits to Washington at the very end of 1945 and the beginning of 1946. Sarasohn shares that he first viewed the Japanese as the enemy, but later changed his mind. He discusses the devastation he witnessed in Japan and says that the country had to start from scratch in 1945-1946. Sarasohn says that his job was to re-establish and rehabilitate the Japanese communications industry and that an order was given to revive the Japanese economy and re-establish a radio receiving station and production centers in Tokyo and Osaka. He also mentions companies such as Sony, Sharp, and Toshiba and their beginnings. Sarasohn says that one of the first orders was to eliminate the zaibatsu (cartel) and explains its history. He talks about the CCS (Civil Communications Section) and his dictatorial management style. Sarasohn says that materials were imported from and through the United States and that materials such as copper wire were difficult to come by. He explains that quality was impossible to talk about and that the Japanese did not know the meaning of clean workspace. Sarasohn shares his thoughts on General Douglas MacArthur and recounts a story about MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz. He says that Charles Protzman came to Japan from Western Electric and that he and Protzman decided to develop management classes for the Japanese. Sarasohn adds that Frank Polkinghorn arrived from Bell Labs as a communications specialist and spent time doing research. He says that the people who attended the management classes were expected to take their class notes and share them with their managers. Sarasohn talks about the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) and statistical quality control. He says that just before the war, a Japanese delegation visited the United States and took photographs and drawings of machines for duplication. Sarasohn goes on to talk about W. Edwards Deming, census, birth control, the prototyping of electronic devices, and the status of Japanese products before quality standards and quality techniques were implemented. The video ends with the interview in progress.
Interviews Sarasohn, Homer, 1916-2001 Tribus, Myron World War II Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Radiation Laboratory Radar Radar transmitters Radio Radio Receivers and reception Japanese Americans Industries Factories Telecommunication United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development Raytheon Manufacturing Company Management MacArthur, Douglas, 1880-1964 Transportation Copper wire Wheat Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers Clean rooms Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966 Nihon Kagaku Gijutsu Renmei Universities and colleges Quality control Vacuum-tubes Industrial management Deming, W. Edwards (William Edwards), 1900-1993 Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. Economic and Scientific Section Census Sony Corporation Birth control Electronic apparatus and appliances Hopper, Kenneth, 1926- Technology Crosley Corporation Zaibatsu Civil Communications Section (CCS) Protzman, Charles W., Sr Polkinghorn, Frank Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers
Time Period
Nineteen forties Nineteen fifties
Place
Japan United States Germany
Source
Color videocassette: Video Interview with Homer Sarasohn, Parts 1 & 2; 2 July 1988; Tape 1 of 2; ¾ inch VHS cassette; Kenneth Hopper Papers on Management
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