COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 7361

Computer Programming Services

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

16companies1940–1991founding years16still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedEl Corte Inglés Group
1940
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedSpencer Stuart and Associates, Inc.
1956
FoundedVolt Information Sciences Inc.
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedRandstad Holding n.v.
1960
FoundedLogicon Inc.
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedHays Plc
1965
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedCiber, Inc.
1974
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedGenRad, Inc.
1978
FoundedCompHealth Inc.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
FoundedCerner Corporation
1980
FoundedDassault Systèmes S.A.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedViasoft Inc.
1983
FoundedBrite Voice Systems, Inc.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedBloomberg L.P.
1986
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedAscend Communications, Inc.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedEmployee Solutions, Inc.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
TechnologyLinux and open source challenge proprietary software.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

El Corte Inglés Group →
Active · founded 1940 · Spain
El Corte Inglés, S.A.
Spencer Stuart and Associates, Inc. →
Active · founded 1956
Spencer Stuart & Associates, Inc.
Volt Information Sciences Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Volt Information Sciences Inc.
Randstad Holding n.v. →
Active · founded 1960 · The Netherlands
Randstad Holding n.v.
Logicon Inc. →
Active · founded 1961
Logicon Inc.
Hays Plc →
Active · founded 1965 · United Kingdom
Fast-growing Hays Plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading business services groups with more than 60 business units…
Ciber, Inc. →
Active · founded 1974
A leading, middle-tier information technology company, Ciber, Inc.
GenRad, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978
GenRad, Inc.
CompHealth Inc. →
Active · founded 1979
CompHealth was the nation's first and is the nation's largest firm providing temporary staffing of medical doctors and…
Cerner Corporation →
Active · founded 1980
Cerner Corporation is a leading supplier of information systems for the health care industry.
Dassault Systèmes S.A. →
Active · founded 1981 · France
Dassault Systèmes S.A.
Viasoft Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Viasoft Inc.
Brite Voice Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Serving the fastest-growing market in the world--the telecommunications and information services industry, Brite Voice…
Bloomberg L.P. →
Active · founded 1986
Bloomberg L.P.
Ascend Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Ascend Communications, Inc.
Employee Solutions, Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
Employee Solutions, Inc.
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