Computer System Design Services

Industry Profile Report

Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters

Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.

Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.

Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.

Industry Profile Excerpts

Industry Overview

The 46,700 computer system design services providers in the US integrate computer hardware, software, and communication technologies. Types of services include computer systems design, development, and integration; customer application design and development; and IT technical consulting and support. Firms may also provide services related to network development and design, cybersecurity, and communications.

Dependence on Skilled Labor

The computer system design services industry relies on a highly skilled, highly paid workforce, which includes computer and software engineers, programmers, systems integrators, and management with experience in information technology.

Rapid Advances in Technology

The computer and information systems management industry is characterized by rapid advances in technology that create volatility and uncertainty.

Industry size & Structure

The average computer system design service provider operates out of a single location, employs about 24-25 workers, and generates about $4-5 million annually.

    • The computer system design services industry consists of about 46,700 companies that employ over 1 million workers and generate over $204 billion annually.
    • The industry is concentrated at the top and fragmented at the bottom; the top 50 companies account for 55% of industry revenue.
    • Large firms, which include IBM, GDIT, and Unisys, typically have global operations.
                                    Industry Forecast
                                    Computer System Design Services Industry Growth
                                    Source: Vertical IQ and Inforum

                                    Recent Developments

                                    Apr 1, 2024 - Slow Sales Growth Expected
                                    • Computer system design service industry sales are forecast to grow at a 3.69% compounded annual rate from 2022 to 2027, slower than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. Industry employment increased slightly during 2023 while average wages for nonsupervisory employees were unchanged, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
                                    • More than 50,000 technology sector employees were laid off during the first quarter of 2024, according to layoffs tracking site Layoffs.fyi. Layoffs reflect a broader trend in the tech job market, where companies increasingly lean on AI and automation for efficiency and innovation, often resulting in a reduced human workforce, according to Techopedia. More than 240,000 roles left the tech industry globally in 2023, according to Techpedia.
                                    • CIOs are increasingly doubtful about cloud-first computing, according to CIO.com. The resulting infrastructure of choice — a combination of on-premises and hybrid-cloud platforms — will aim to reduce cost overruns, contain cloud chaos, and ensure adequate funding for generative AI projects. “The most common motivator for repatriation I’ve been seeing is cost,” said David Linthicum, former chief cloud strategy officer at Deloitte. “...most enterprise workloads aren’t exactly modern” and thus not best fits for the cloud, Linthicum added.
                                    • More large firms are likely to face high risk of insolvency during 2024 due to the “double whammy” of high borrowing costs and pressure on consumer budgets, according to insolvency experts including Rob Hornby, partner and managing director of AlixPartners. Computer systems design services may be negatively impacted if spending on technology decreases. The director at the restructuring and advisory specialist said that typically high-growth areas, such as technology, could see turbulence as financing comes under increased pressure. Hornby and Richard Fleming, also of AlixPartners, both said that they expected more firms to use restructuring plans this year in an effort to avoid full insolvency administrations.
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