TiG is a military thing. At least it is the only place I encountered the phrase as a Marine during the years, 1972 - 1981. It was a requirement, basic, that one had to hold a rank until "eligible" for promotion consideration and evaluation. In the Marines, for instance, you may have to hold the rank of E-3 for one year to reach eligibility.
Since the military, especially Marines for Okinawan Karate, were involved in bringing karate to the United States this concept seemed to have been adopted along with what was taught and learned from the Okinawan Sensei like "Shimabuku, Tatsuo Sensei, Isshinryu Karate."
In the military the TiG was set in stone, it was not an arbitrary requirement but was just a place holder to give Marines a goal to reach so they could start building qualifications and experiences to qualify. Marines didn't test for rank like other services during the time I served so it involved the written evaluations from one's superiors. You can begin to understand how and why it was used especially in regard to the more commercial aspect of running a dojo for fees.
In the martial arts and karate communities, at least to my current perception from the last forty plus years, the TiG is arbitrary in the dojo. As to the requirement of most associations, etc., it seems to be based on longevity of membership retention where fees for tests, seminars, and other requirements were created and set not to cover basic costs of such events but to generate money to keep things going as well as pay those who lead such things.
Understand, there is absolutely nothing wrong with running a commercial martial arts business as long as the standards and practices of the system or style are not subverted and diminished in order to retain members and make a living. It is one of the most difficult aspects of the dojo to maintain the ability to keep integrity and teachings of the highest standards and those who can are awesome. It kind of loses that integrity when folks teach and run a dojo without the qualifications to make it work resulting in owner/operators diluting and dismantling the system to ensure attendance, membership and income. There are far more out there today who hold high integrity in teaching while making it work in the commercial world, that is totally awesome. As to the others, "shame on YOU!"
Where I started to go with this is upon viewing some historical documents of those early years, mid to late 50's, where rank cards were kept by the Marine Judo/Karate coordinators that show how the early Marines would achieve white to black belt in under a year. One karate luminary actually achieved the rank of black belt in seven months while today often promotes most only after several years of training and practice.
Granted, this may be due to some valid reasoning like how often the sensei practiced back then vs. how often modern students actually train and practice, i.e., train about three or four hours a week with little to no practice outside the dojo at all while expecting to make black belt with some arbitrary time in grade or in training. Interesting don't you think?
To date, no one has come up with an accepted system about rank and promotions, it has been mostly an arbitrary system set in each dojo by the individual dojo dai-sensei. I think that is good because only that dai-sensei and his teaching staff of sensei and senpai with their close relationship to students can actually determine the progress and evolution of each individual practitioner. That is the best way to actually determine the black belt.
I can see having a minimum time in grade with qualifications toward determining the time, i.e., actual time on the dojo floor and studying, researching and experiencing things martial arts and karate, that is not set directly to a calendar. Six months of time doesn’t mean from January to June but the quality of the time actually training, practicing and applying the skills. In short, six months of that at say, “six hours a week,” means to reach six months of daily eight hours of training, etc., would actually take about, “several years of work” to qualify for TiG of six months. 960 hours at the example rate means 160 weeks to equal just a bit over three years of dedicated, consistent and ongoing training, etc.
If this is and was the way of it after the early pioneers came home to open dojo then it helps us understand why the TiG changed from the seven to eleven months from white to black belt they achieved to the three to six years today’s students require to do to achieve black belt. Hmmmm …
Note: This is an opinion piece and I look forward to others whose experiences provide insight into this topic. I have witnessed others in more modern times achieve such a rank in such a swift manner but that has been rare except for those who pay for their rank through other means, etc. McDojo’s and Rank Mills exist, I proved that once by submitting my resume to see what rank would be awarded, roku-dan - for a price of course.
Note II: When I inquired long ago about the high levels of rank testing and certification fees the only answer they could provide was something like, “the market says this is fair.” In short they said, others are able to get these fees so that is what we charge meaning, the market will bear it!
Note III: In regard to our way of life and the influence principles used in communications, group dynamics and the social way of things it is also about social aspects like ego, status, liking, reciprocation and the hierarchal requirements of human survival systems. Take scarcity, when you see something that costs a lot social conditioning and survival dynamics of individuals and groups influences you so assume it has quality for quality costs and it is rare because only those who can afford the best can pay such high prices and so on - think about this. It is what makes the world go around and we can’t get away from it so if you had to pay a high price for your rank then it must be valid and of value, right?
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