2. Twenty Five Years of German Research and Development Programs “Humanization of Work / Work and Technology”

Within the German state financed programs “Humanization of Work” and (since 1989) “Work and Technology” 1,500 research and development projects have been executed since 1974 with a total budget of about 1.3 billion DM. The program activities, more design orientated than the Scandinavian programs with their predominant process orientation, generated many successful results, especially in the field of health and safety, reduction of work load, robotics, design of software, work restructuring, qualification of the work force etc. Many innovative concepts were developed, not all of which were realized.In general, due to conflicts between the social partners in the 80s and also the erosion of work reform strategies and concepts during the 90s, the programs are characterized by decline, both in financial and conceptual terms. At present, on the threshold of the 21st century, there is no visible initiative for a new labor policy.