PROPERTY, PLANT, AND EQUIPMENT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

PROPERTY PLANT AND EQUIPMENT [Abstract]

(5) PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following (amounts in thousands):

		December 31,
		2011		2010
Land and buildings		$	38,846	$	45,372
Computer equipment and software			261,378		245,333
Telephone equipment			44,861		45,743
Furniture and fixtures			51,460		54,364
Leasehold improvements			138,117		140,412
Motor vehicles			190		898
Construction-in-progress and other			339		1,768
	Property, plant and equipment, gross		535,191		533,890
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization			(434,870)		(428,362)
	Property, plant and equipment, net	$	100,321	$	105,528

Depreciation and amortization expense for property, plant and equipment was $40.4 million, $49.2 million and $55.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Included in computer equipment and software in the table above, the Company had $3.7 million and $2.7 million of unamortized Software Development Costs as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Amortization expense for Software Development Costs was $1.0 million, $0.2 million and $0.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, which is included in the depreciation and amortization expense for property, plant and equipment discussed above.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and other types of furniture and equipment including, but not limited to, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment and software. This disclosure may include property plant and equipment accounting policies and methodology, a schedule of property, plant and equipment gross, additions, deletions, transfers and other changes, depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, net, accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense and useful lives, income statement disclosures, assets held for sale and public utility disclosures.

+ References+ Details