Tertiary Sector: Activities, Trade, and Consumerism
The Tertiary Sector: Activities, Evolution, and Impact
The tertiary sector encompasses a wide variety of activities. Its development has paralleled the evolution of the primary and secondary sectors, exceeding them today. More developed societies tend to offer their citizens a range of services, public or private, through which they satisfy needs of all kinds. The greater the degree of development of a country, the greater its outsourcing. The main factors driving the progress of the tertiary sector are the industrialization of social mores and the rising purchasing power of the population.
The Wide Range of Tertiary Activities
The formation of spaces for this sector does not respond to homogeneous criteria. Commercial activities are conducted primarily in urban areas. Most of the landscapes seen in tertiary cities are located there. The variety of activities comprising this sector can use many different criteria for classification.
Origins and Evolution of World Trade
After the exchange of some products, the appearance of the coin favored the expansion of trade in Phoenician, Greek, and Roman cities around the Mediterranean Sea. In the early Middle Ages, business declined, but from the 11th century, there was a resurgence of fairs and trade routes. The geographical discoveries of the 16th century led to the development of new shipping routes with a consequent flow of goods to Europe.
Foreign Trade Today
Current trade has a strong international flavor thanks to the development of transport. The largest commercial traffic is between industrialized countries. The outcome of this trade was a commercial balance favorable for industrial countries, which has led to high external debt and a progressive impoverishment of developing countries. This is currently being modified as a result of the global character of the economy.
The Dynamics of Internal Trade
Domestic trade has undergone profound changes. We can distinguish between retail trade for the consumer and wholesale trade, which distributes products to retailers or suppliers:
- Supermarkets: Medium-sized businesses located close to consumers, primarily targeted for food under self-service.
- Malls: Located in city centers, specialty stores focus on various products.
- Department Stores: Located in urban centers, they belong to large companies. They have all sorts of products sorted by sections.
- Hypermarkets: Superstores, located on the outskirts of cities, which have different sections of goods under self-service.
- Business Parks: In a large area, located on the outskirts of cities, they combine leisure areas, hypermarkets, and malls.
Consumption and Consumerism
In recent years, developed countries have produced a significant increase in consumption, driven by the wealth of products and commercial spaces, advertising strategies, and the increased purchasing power of citizens. This trend is fueled by new sales systems and the payment facilities offered. These factors can lead to consumerism, which leads to the substitution of still-useful products for new ones. We get carried away by publicity that generates new needs and encourages spending. The result is a waste of resources.