World Software Industry and Software Engineering: Opportunities and Constraints for Newly Industrialized Economies

This paper review the major trends in the global software industry, taking into account the changing nature of the competition in a relatively young industry that is rapidly growing and changing. The software industry, particularly in the United States, is in a state of flux, with product cycle transitions, shifts in standards, corporate acquisitions, and important strategic realignments that affect competitiveness in computer software and services. The paper then investigates the sources of competitive advantage in software production. The impact of new technologies on the process through which software is engineered is analyzed in terms of changing requirements -- for capital outlays, labor, and skills -- and in terms of the constraints and opportunities these present to NIE software firms.