What Americans were most influential in helping the Japanese market in the USA, in the early days? (i.e. 1970)

Question

I am very interested in the current globalization efforts by the Chinese. I'm an american citizen, living in Beijing. I think by talking with those people who helped the Japanese successfuly enter the US marketplace, that much could be learned & used in today's efforts. I'd like to interview the people that have been most influential in this effort (i.e., helping the Japanese succeed in the US marketplace). Any assitance or ideas you have are greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

W. Edwards Deming (1900-93) would probably be in the league of his own. But he was active in Japan much earlier, since 1947, first as a government statistitian, then, since 1950, as a consultant to private companies. His impact on the Japanese business was profound. The Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers annually awards the Deming Prize; Deming is one of the very few foreign recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasures, Second Class.

It must be noted though that many of Deming's ideas were very unorthodox in the West, but very understandable to the Japanese. For example, Deming believed in education without grades, as well as in management without individual merit or performance reviews. Management, he believed, is about the success of the organization as a whole...