There is an interesting issue in Software Engineering which I'd like to explore. The issue is firstly what is and what is not software engineering. Secondly, if software engineering is what the IEEE defines it to be, what are good examples of companies which practice the SE? Detailed question: Software engineering (SE) is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the design, development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software. [updated definition, originating in 610.12-1990 - IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology] If we consider as SE only those approaches that 100% match the above definition, we naturally get to SWEBOK (Software Engineering Body of Knowledge) which is created by the IEEE and the ACM. I'm seeking the answer to this: How can I find a company outside the defence industry which practices the SE as defined by IEEE? Clues: SE originates in 1968 NATO conference. The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is based in the US at Carnegie Mellon University. Funding of the SEI is largely done by the US DoD. Defence industry uses the SE and sometimes has a partnership with the IEEE (as in case of Boeing). Possible decomposition of my big question into smaller chunks: a) Where is anyone who acknowledges the IEEE Software Engineering standards at work and perhaps even uses some of them? http://cs.hbg.psu.edu/cmpsc487/IEEEStds_List.htm b) Where can I find a person or a company building around SWEBOK? http://www.computer.org/portal/web/swebok/html/contents c) What is an example of a company professionally using CSDP (apart from those at IEEE website)? Does anyone have any possible contribution to this question?