 July 2002 was a special time for me, for two reasons. First, it was the twentieth anniversary of my telework consulting business; second, it was the time when I made a very enjoyable and productive visit to Japan with the assistance of the JTA.
This visit gave me an opportunity to learn more about the current telework situation in Japan, and to provide information about the situation in the U.S. Also, I received a Special Merit Award from the JTA, which was a great honor for me.
Telework in Japan is, as we say in the U.S., "alive and well." Japan is smaller than the U.S., but in many ways your telework progress is much larger than ours is. The JTA is one of the reasons for this progress and success, and I have not seen another example of such a good "telework friend" as JTA in my twenty years of consulting.
JTA is doing very important work to expand the awareness and understanding of telework in Japan. This is happening through a combination of research, conferences, training, and the exchange of information. JTA also acts as the center of a network of telework interest in Japan, and helps coordinate the activities of employers, government, manufacturers and service providers, and the academic community.
Telework is growing in many countries today, and there is always some type of organization in each of those countries that supports this growth by providing information and training. I believe that JTA is definitely one of the best examples of these telework organizations. JTA has been the force behind telework growth in Japan for more than ten years. One very important demonstration of the value of JTA is the conference and awards presentation I attended on July 5. This event helped to encourage more awareness about telework, and also provided valuable recognition for the organizations that are telework leaders in Japan.
I would like to offer my congratulations to JTA, and to its current Executive Director Mr. Norimasa Yoshida, for the high quality of its work to help telework grow in Japan. This work helps improve the quality of life in Japan by making it possible for an increasing number of employees to avoid some of the stress, time, and cost of traditional commuting.
Gil Gordon
Gil Gordon Associates
10 Donner Court
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
732-329-2266
732-329-2703 fax
gil@gilgordon.com
www.gilgordon.com
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