ABSTRACT
Firms in the Canadian consulting engineering industry were interviewed and surveyed to determine the impact of computer-aided design and drafting (CAD) technology on the management of their firms, to document the current usage of CAD in Canadian consulting engineering, and to identify differences between user and non-user firms. Although CAD usage is still in its infancy in this industry, the technology was found to decrease employment within the industry at lower organisational levels but not to increase the firm’s financial risk. Differences between users and non-users were found in their attitudes towards CAD as a tool in providing better client service and in the justification of the CAD investment.
