Understanding the Tertiary Sector: Activities and Impact
The tertiary sector encompasses activities that do not produce material goods. Therefore, they are not related to agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry exploitation, mining, or industry, but provide services to the population. A key characteristic of the tertiary sector is the wide variety of activities it includes, such as:
- Health
- Education
- Tourism
- Trade
- Transport
- Communications
- Leisure activities
- Sports
This sector continues to grow due to the demand for services related to scientific and technological advances applied to microelectronics, computers, bio-industry, bioengineering, the space industry, and the management of large companies.
The Quaternary Sector
The quaternary sector includes activities related to business management and research. Workers in this sector typically have a high level of training and receive high salaries.
Characteristics of the Tertiary Sector
Activities in the tertiary sector are very heterogeneous, varying in the services offered, their size, and the qualifications of staff. Key characteristics include:
- Intangible assets
- Impossibility of storage
- Activities are nearly consumed upon creation
- Relatively low level of mechanization
Classification of Tertiary Activities
Tertiary activities can be classified into several categories:
- Social Services: These can be public (guaranteeing basic needs, funded by taxes) or private (offered and managed by private firms, funded by user payments, such as banking, catering, and hairdressing).
- Distribution: Activities related to the movement of people, goods, and information.
- Business Services: Including advertising, research, banking and finance, insurance, legal and fiscal services, and quality control.
- Consumer Services: Related to retail, catering, bars, restaurants, leisure, domestic service, and hairdressing.
The goods and services provided must meet the needs of people:
- Basic Needs: Essential for survival, such as food, clothing, housing, education, and health.
- Secondary Needs: Related to recreation or tourism.
Welfare societies aim to provide assistance with basic needs for all people. The satisfaction of basic needs depends on the disposable income of each person or family. Developed countries generally have sufficient income to meet basic needs, as well as secondary needs. In poorer countries, a large proportion of the population lives without basic needs being met.
Economic and Social Indicators
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Measures the wealth produced by a country.
- Real GDP per Capita: The total wealth produced by a country in a year, divided by its population.
- Human Development Index (HDI): Expressed as a value between 0 and 1.
Improving the Quality of Life
The discovery of effective remedies increases life expectancy. These changes are due to improved feeding and hygiene, and access to medical assistance.
Health Services
Healthcare is a basic service, and everyone has the right to receive medical care. The right to health is guaranteed by the state, with a portion of tax revenue allocated to organizing health services each year.
Health and Wealth
The economic level of a country largely determines the number and quality of its health services. Differences in health service levels reflect the divide between rich and poor countries.
- Poor Countries: Often lack basic health services and suffer from communicable and infectious diseases such as AIDS. Vaccines may be available but inaccessible to the population.
- Rich Countries: Face diseases of lifestyle, produced by unhealthy habits, poor diet, and smoking, leading to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or cancer.