ABSTRACT
The Japanese announcement was immediately followed by an upsurge of activity in the United States and in much of Western Europe in those same fields of research. In Britain, as a result of government funding, much of the activity has been concentrated in the field of knowledge-based or expert systems. Governments have a wide range of responsibilities in modern industrialised societies, and many of these are challenged by new technology. Many of these countries, especially in Western Europe, have developed institutions and attitudes which are resistant to change. If a firm is to deploy new technology successfully, good human relations are essential. These depend on job security, where that is possible, which in turn implies opportunities for retraining. Good human relations in the workplace also require that consultation should be direct and personal. Both the creative and the destructive effects of the deployment of new technology have direct as well as indirect components.
