Medway, who has studied the effects of family integration in military and non-military families, agreed with the new study's conclusion that there is a greater chance of family problems when the spouse comes back.

CNN: Experts: Parents' deployment puts kids at high risk for problems

But it is easier to block the effects of technological progress on economic integration, because integration also requires economic freedom.

ECONOMIST: The case for globalisation

On the whole the experience was positive and the levels of communication, integration and cross-pollination of ideas that resulted certainly had significant positive effects.

BBC: The pleasures and perils of the open-plan office