Computer Software

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Companies in this industry create computer software and provide computer programming services. Major companies include US-based companies Cognizant Technology Solutions, IBM Software, Microsoft, Oracle, and Symantec, as well as international giants like Infosys Technologies (India), Nintendo (Japan), and SAP (Germany).

Spending on enterprise software products is about $300 billion worldwide, according to Gartner. A significant majority of computer software is developed overseas, particularly in fast-growing countries throughout the Asia/Pacific region. Because of the high cost of US programmers, some software companies outsource part of their production work to other countries.

The US computer software industry involves about 60,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $250 billion. About 60 percent of industry revenue comes from software publishing; custom programming accounts for the remainder. Moderate growth is forecast for the next two years. Key demand drivers include computer sales and technology innovation.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The US economy heavily influences business spending for software products. The success of programming companies depends heavily on strong technical expertise. The success of packaged-software companies depends on technical expertise and good marketing. Small software companies compete mainly by developing packaged products in small niches or producing custom products for individuals. Many small companies form alliances with larger ones to market their products. The US packaged software segment is concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate about 70 percent of revenue. The US custom programming segment is highly fragmented....