International Engineering Services 1982–92

Abstract

Engineering services are important venues for international flows of capital and specialized forms of knowledge, and are extensively traded internationally. In this paper the geography of global supply and demand for engineering services for the years 1982–92 is examined. First, trends in six major world market areas are highlighted. The US, by far the world's largest provider, generated more than $3 billion in foreign engineering sales in 1992. Second, I examine the domestic employment impacts of US engineering sales abroad using input—output analysis. Third, I explore the theoretical implications of the relatively few linkages to manufacturing that engineering, like other services, exhibits. As a subtext, I attempt to forge linkages between the literatures on global trade in services and world systems theory.