The Service Economy

Description

Services are transforming OECD economies on a massive scale, but are still impeded by regulations and policies that stifle innovation and competition. Comprehensive reforms need to be pursued internationally as well as in individual OECD countries. These are the principal conclusions reached by participants in a Business and Industry Policy Forum organised by the OECD on 28 September 1999. The Forum was organised by the Industry Committee, partly to address the mandate of the OECD Ministerial to explain the differences which have emerged in growth performance among OECD countries. It brought together senior government officials, experts, and business and trade union leaders from 30 countries to address issues related to "Realising the Potential of the Service Economy: Facilitating Growth, Innovation and Competition".  Read more... THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SERVICE INDUSTRIES -- The nature of services -- Relationship to manufacturing -- Competitive conditions -- Innovation -- Environment -- THE ROLE OF SERVICES IN OECD ECONOMIES -- Trends -- Outsourcing -- Electronic commerce -- EMPLOYMENT AND SERVICES -- Characteristics -- The importance of human capital -- Productivity -- INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT IN SERVICES -- Trade trends -- Foreign direct investment -- Issues -- Barriers to trade -- GATS -- POLICY ISSUES -- Liberalisation -- Regulatory reform -- Government programmes -- Framework conditions -- Small and medium-sized enterprises -- Upskilling -- Government services -- Services data -- CONCLUSION -- Annex -- References