Millysmyth - you may wish to take it up with these people including your boss in that case. If as you say
idea of a gust alleviation system is impractical and illogical
there seems to be a lot of extremely well educated people and manufacturers who use the term and state that such systems exist in the aircraft mentioned.
http://pdf.aiaa.org/preview/CDReadyM...V2005_1946.pdf
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insigh...ntentId=876460
Even Bae Filton seem who build the Airbus wings seem confused if what you say is true.
http://www.baesystems.com/Capabiliti...rols/index.htm
Could you also expand on the difference between gust alleviation and harmonic dampening principles. I'm just a humble pilot so stand to be educated.