ABSTRACT
The occupational situation in western countries has changed radically during this century. The change in national occupational structure continues with some jobs reducing in either importance or availability while others correspondingly increase. The result is a gradual realization of the importance of vocational and occupational guidance. The possibility of introducing the computer into the guidance process has, to date, had mainly beneficial effects. The computer is fast, accurate and good at literal storage, the man is good at error detection, at versatility in access to stored materials and at detection of patterns. The widespread use of computers both as data stores and as aids in human decision-making has provided generalizations which are applicable in the guidance situation. Apart from a comparison of properties the allocation of functions between man and machine depends on their relative cost and on the provision of integrated and graded tasks for operators.
