Chapter Five turns to the European side, with a focus on West Germany. After discussing the goals of the Productivity Program in West Germany, the chapter examines the exchange programs that exposed countless Europeans to first-hand experiences of American-style productivity with the goal of turning Europeans into ambassadors for American productivity. Study groups of engineers, management representatives, labor representatives, and sometimes government officials and academics visited the United States for one to two months touring companies and discussing productivity with US businessmen, unionists, government officials, and others. In addition, young workers participated in a yearlong work-study student exchange program. One result of these visits is that in discussions with Americans, German conservative and progressive industrialists often felt reprimanded, and they claimed that American productivity was grounded on specific geographic, climatic, and other conditions in the United States and therefore did not apply to West Germany. The young exchange students, over the yearlong program, often came to appreciate labor and class relations in the United States, but frequently became alienated from the more hierarchical organization of their own unions, and grew frustrated about their inability to achieve meaningful change in their own countries. The closer analysis of German and European responses suggests that the study groups and exchange programs more often convinced those who were in less opportune positions to affect change, and were less successful convincing those in positions to make changes.
Studebaker, “They See America” (1953) (Awaiting Permission)
One of the core components of the Marshall Plan’s Productivity Program was hands on experience for European workers and managers…
Bert Wessel, Amerika-Tagebuch (1951)
A major part of the Productivity Program was the Work-Study for Productivity Program, in which young European workers would visit the United States to gain insight into plant level collective bargaining and labor relations…
A major part of the Productivity Program was the Work-Study for Productivity Program, in which young European workers would visit the United States to gain insight into plant level collective bargaining and labor relations…
Heinrich Krumm, American Journey! (1951)
A major part of the Marshall Plan was Project Impact, which was designed to bring European industrialists to the United States and culminated in the First International Conference of Manufacturers…
Productivity Machines 