  We present recent theoretical investigations on the dynamics of metal
clusters in contact with an environment, deposited of embedded. This concerns
soft deposition as well as irradiation of the deposited/embedded clusters by
intense laser pulses. We discuss examples of applications for two typical test
cases, Na clusters deposited on MgO(001) surface and Na clusters in/on Ar
substrate. Both environments are insulators with sizeable polarizability. They
differ in their geometrical and mechanical properties.
