In many respects, the evolution of the nature of the investment and of the strategy of European firms has been similar to that of the US and to Japanese firms. It is necessary to differentiate between a number of cases, reflecting different strategies and objectives, changing overtime in the same company. This shift from one stage of development to another has a crucial influence on the management of human resources. It entails shift in organizationl patterns and the development of new management tools fitting with the characteristics of the workforce.