Book contents
- The Cambridge Economic History of Australia
- The Cambridge Economic History of Australia
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- List of figures
- List of maps
- List of tables
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction: connecting past, present and future
- Part 1 Framework
- Part 2 Transition
- Part 3 Economic expansion of the colonies
- Part 4 A national economy
- 12 Capital markets
- 13 Manufacturing
- 14 Big business and foreign firms
- 15 Government and the evolution of public policy
- 16 The labour market
- 17 The service economy
- Part 5 Building the modern economy
- Part 6 Looking backwards and to the future
- Statistical Appendix: selected data series, 1800–2010
- References
- Subject index
- Company index
17 - The service economy
from Part 4 - A national economy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 September 2014
Book contents
- The Cambridge Economic History of Australia
- The Cambridge Economic History of Australia
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- List of figures
- List of maps
- List of tables
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction: connecting past, present and future
- Part 1 Framework
- Part 2 Transition
- Part 3 Economic expansion of the colonies
- Part 4 A national economy
- 12 Capital markets
- 13 Manufacturing
- 14 Big business and foreign firms
- 15 Government and the evolution of public policy
- 16 The labour market
- 17 The service economy
- Part 5 Building the modern economy
- Part 6 Looking backwards and to the future
- Statistical Appendix: selected data series, 1800–2010
- References
- Subject index
- Company index
Summary
The service sector has been referred to as the 'Cinderella sector' because it is one of the least understood sectors of the economy. This chapter reviews the pattern of growth and places the Australian experience within the context of broader worldwide trends. Services may range from high-skilled, knowledge-driven activities to low-skilled and low-paid occupations. The diversified nature of the service sector not only creates definitional problems, but it also makes classification for evaluation purposes difficult. The history of service development in the 19th century was one of response to the transformation of colonial agricultural economies into industrial and urban states. The pattern of employment growth, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century, reflected that of other western economies. Finally, the chapter investigates three themes, such as professionalisation, innovation and regulatory influences, all reveal more of the significance of the service sector to the economy.
Keywords
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge Economic History of Australia , pp. 373 - 394Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2014
- 1
- Cited by