THE TERTIARY SECTOR

THE TERTIARY ECONOMIC SECTOR

Tertiary sector activities:
Activities involved in delivering services to meet peoples´ need, or
those of other manufacturing sectors:

• They are immaterial activities,

they do not produce material
goods

Characteristics:

• They involve a low level of

mechanisation

• They are very heterogeneous, in terms of their variety and the

professional qualification required
The most important activities are:

Transport Communications Trade Tourism

Health care Education

 Services classification:
According to whom delivers them:
Public services:

Provided by the State and the

public administration, using
money collected from taxes

Main objective, to provide basic

services to society

Private services:

Provided by private companies,

with money paid by people that
demand them

Main objective , to earn profits

 According to their function:

Commercial Transport Leisure Tourism

Information Administrative Financial

Cultural Social services Personal services

 According to their degree of specialisation:
Low-skilled services:
They required few qualification
Example, street traders
A high percentage in underdeveloped
countries, almost disappeared in developed
countries
Skilled services:
Such as education, which requires qualification
Highly-skilled services:
The quaternary sector
Requires an advanced level of professional
training
Example, scientific research
They are important in developed countries
 Services in the world today:
Developed countries:
Services are very widespread
The majority of people have access to basic
services, such as health care and education
Services contribute over 60% to employment
figures and GDP
Services are favoured by:
• The increase in living standards

• The welfare state becoming more widespread

• Competition between
businesses, that offer
a wide range of
services
 Undeveloped countries:

Services are insufficient, most of the population does not have access
to basic services

Services are far less important, in terms of employment and GDP, due
to the predominance of low-skilled services