In some companies, two or all three of these roles may be combined (and indeed, may reside in a single person, especially in the case of shareware).
The author-developers may use publishers to reach larger or foreign markets.
[1] Typically, the publisher will bear most of the cost of entering these markets.
The duties of the publisher can vary greatly depending on the agreement reached between the parties.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics code for Software Publishers is 511200.