I think the experience that you describe is quite typical for lots of the enterprises that have started with pure mechanical or electrical products and at some point of time needed to incorporate software. For lots of them software engineering is a third class citizen that is not understood, trivialized and outsourced.
I know lots of examples from the automotive industry that sound exactly like that, and I'm sure it's not that different in other industries.
However most of these companies are slowly getting to the point where they understand that software is crucial for the future and that it's a major (and not a very minor) component. But it might still take some time until they can offer a good working atmosphere for software engineers.
you also see excessive standardization and commoditization of software in these industries... institutionalize incrementalist thinking that slows progress and eventually makes all the participants vulnerable to outside disruption.
I know lots of examples from the automotive industry that sound exactly like that, and I'm sure it's not that different in other industries.
However most of these companies are slowly getting to the point where they understand that software is crucial for the future and that it's a major (and not a very minor) component. But it might still take some time until they can offer a good working atmosphere for software engineers.