The Tertiary Sector, Quaternary Economy, and Globalization

The Tertiary Sector: Services and Economic Growth

The Tertiary Sector does not produce material goods. Instead, it provides essential services to people and other economic sectors. Examples include health care and education.

Growth and Importance in Developed Nations

In developed countries, the tertiary sector has undergone significant growth, both in terms of the number of people employed and the wealth generated, making it the most important economic sector today. This expansion coincided with the emergence of the Information Society.

Low-End Tertiary Services

The Low-End Tertiary Sector consists of jobs that require little specialized training and are usually poorly paid. Examples include cleaners and street traders.

Skilled Services and Professional Training

Skilled services are predominantly found in developed countries. Especially significant are business services and those requiring a high degree of professional training, such as advanced education and specialized consulting.

High-End Tertiary and Quaternary Sectors

The High-End Tertiary Sector encompasses activities associated with advanced technology and science. Workers in these fields possess specialized training and are typically well compensated.

Key areas include:

• Microelectronics
• Information Technology (IT)
• Biotechnology
• The Space Industry

The Quaternary Sector is associated with high intellectual content, such as research and development (R&D). It provides the foundational knowledge necessary for other sectors of the economy to grow.

Modern Service Proliferation and Social Change

Services have proliferated significantly in response to recent social changes:

• Greater Life Expectancy: This drives demand for services related to caring for elderly or dependent persons (e.g., care homes, day centers, health workers, physiotherapists).
• Female Participation in the Labor Force: This increases demand for services that support working families (e.g., nursery schools, ready-made food, dry-cleaning).
• Reduced Working Hours and Paid Holidays: This fuels the growth of leisure activities and tourism.

Technology, Media, and Communication Power

The relationship between communication, information, and development has been revolutionized by the internet. The biggest change has occurred thanks to smartphones.

The power inherent in communication and information technology is immense. There is a constant struggle to control this sector because it generates significant wealth and influences public opinion globally.

Globalization and Cultural Homogenization

Globalization raises the question of whether the world is homogenizing. Key aspects include:

• The adoption of new ethical and aesthetic values.
• The unification of consumption and behavior patterns.
• The promotion of universal norms.

However, alternative groups and counter-cultures also exist. The internet helps to create virtual communities among people with common or interrelated interests who may have never met physically, driving change on a previously unimaginable scale.

Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI)

RDI is supported by the creation of innovation centers or technology parks, often located near universities. These centers benefit from access to transport infrastructure and skilled labor.