Abstract :
The paper gives some impressions obtained during a five-week tour of the Soviet Union, Poland and Czechoslovakia by a delegation from the Production Engineering Research Association of Great Britain. The observations mainly concern production engineering research and development, general industrial development such as automation, and the engineering and scientific information services. Comments are also made on working conditions, wages, incentives and general standards of living. The paper was presented to The Institution of Production Engineers in London on 10th December, 1959.