22 PUTNAM, HAYES and BARTLETT: 'Economics of internationalsteel trade' (American Iron & Steel Institute, Washington DC, 1978)

23 PUTNAM, HAYES and BARTLETT: The economic implications offoreign steel pricing practices' (American Iron & Steel Institute,Washington DC, 1978)

24 WALTER, I.: 'Protection of industries in trouble: the case of iron

and steel', The World Economy, May 197925 WALTER, I., and ARESKOUG, K.: 'International economics'

(Third Edition, Wiley, New York, 1981)26 WALTER, I., and JONES, K.A.: 'The battle over protectionism:

how industry adjusts to competitive shocks', J. Business StrategyFall 1981

Book reviewsEnvironment, energy, public policy: toward a rational futureRegina S. Axelrod (Ed.)Lexington, 1981, 175pp., £12ISBN: 0-669-03460-6

This book is timely in that it addresses a subject of importanceto both the professional engineer and society in general.Indeed, there are many who argue that there exists in the UKno public policy towards energy and the environment.

The text has some eleven authors (among whom, unfortu-nately, there is not one engineer or scientist), each contri-buting either singly or jointly to a chapter on a different partof the subject. As such, the content is something of a mixedbag: those chapters where the author concentrates on thestraightforward political, legislative and social issues are wellpresented and illustrate clearly the problems faced (althoughthe text concentrates totally on the USA).

However, set against these informative and well arguedchapters, there are parts of the book where the writers displaya disturbing lack of understanding of technical considerations,and a lack of appreciation of the interaction between poli-tical, social and technical issues. In addition, discussions oftendemonstrate a surprising naivety. For example, one author,after several pages of attack on OPEC policies, explains thatthe US imported-energy problem could largely be solved:'Instead of subsidizing Chrysler to rescue it from the effectsof poor management and bad market judgement, why notturn the plant over to Volkswagen or Toyota, which alreadyknow how to produce economic cars at a profit?'

In parts too, there is the irritating and, at times, misleadinghabit of ignoring conventional scientific symbols. For ex-ample, one chapter explains the background to the construc-tion of an 800 mw (sic) overhead line from Canada to NewYork state.

Despite these criticisms of parts of the book, on balanceit does make a worthwhile contribution to the field, if onlyto demonstrate the magnitude and seriousness of the diffi-culties which face any governing body which attempts todevelop a national energy policy against a background ofvested interest, environmental-group pressure, public ignoranceand apathy, and political manoeuvering.

H.W. WITTINGTON

Conditions of work and quality of working life — a directoryof institutionsMrs. L. Stoddart (Ed.)Internationa/ Labour Office, 1981, 255pp., £8.75ISBN: 92-2-102648-5

1980/81 was the first session of the IEE's new Management &Design Divisional Board. The Board has defined the scope ofits four Group Executive Committees, and the institution ofGroup M2 'Engineering and society' marks a new and timelyconcern with social responsibility.

The directory under review marks a concurrent initiativeby the ILO, to identify key institutions, in all regions of theworld, that are concerned with conditions of work and thequality of working life.

More than 230 institutions in 54 countries are covered.They include government agencies, employers' organisations,trades unions, professional institutions, research institutes,university departments and others.

As a first edition, the listing is less than complete, but is aquantitative indication of the international concern existingwith regard to our standards of the quality of life.

The technological and scientific professions have a specialresponsibility to recognise this concern. First, because they areat the spearhead of the technological changes that initiatesocial change and concern, and, secondly, because they havethe abilility to point to the 'trade-off possibilities, whereby asensible balance can be struck between advances in technicalefficiency, and their environmental and social effects.

This directory indicates the great scope for the IEE to col-laborate with kindred bodies beyond a narrow interpretationof 'engineering', and it is interesting to reproduce here the newDivision's definition of the interests of the Group for 'Engin-eering and society':

Conservation of resourcesResponsibility to the communityThe image and role of the engineerThe impact on the environment, aesthetics etc.The implications of change

DENIS L.JOHNSTON

260 IEEPROC, Vol. 129, Pt. A, No. 4, JUNE 1982