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August 1996

The software and engineering industries: threatened by technological change?

William Goodman

Since 1990, job growth has slowed in the engineering and software industries; many factors contributed to the slowdown, including reduced defense spending and more automated processes achieved through highly sophisticated software. This article describes the nature of the two industries in some detail, explains the major developments that affect employment in the industries, and examines the impact of those developments on the number of jobs in engineering and computer service firms.

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