Automation: Most people dislike it.

Automation: Most people dislike it. Even computer scientists.

Why is that?

Because you can't automate the smart stuff, only the stupid stuff. And people like to concentrate on the smart stuff, therefore they avoid the stupid stuff because it is boring, and nobody ever automates it.

Successful companies automate the boring stuff, so that no one has to do it. Then people have more time to do the hard stuff (by definition non boring), and therefore, since it is challenging, they can decompose the hard stuff into less complex stuff. And they can repeat this process until most of the hard stuff has been decomposed into trivial (and therefore boring) stuff. So companies that detect deficiencies in other companies (for example that they are not efficient), can compete in the same markets and beat them (as long as clients have no power).

Suppliers that are in markets in which the customer has too much power can't be efficient, since any efficiencies are absorved by the customer, making it impossible for them to gather the results of their efficiency.

In the long run, market economics dictate that people who automate too much are more efficient, but if all efficiency goes into the pocket of the client, it hurts its suppliers. And therefore, suppliers end up either without a job or without a contract and end up doing something else. At the same time, clients that benefit from this efficiency could probably improve their market share. But reality is different. Most companies spend as little as 1% or 2% in IT, not because they try to spend less, but simply because they are in markets that are so profitable.

IT certainly isn't profitable because there is no barrier of entry. Almost anyone can study Visual Basic or Python and be a developer in 6 months. Which gives that in order to be a contractor in this market you have to be crazy or not like yourself or be an incompetent or all of the above.