十篇ImportanceofServices.docVIP

第二十七篇??? Importance of Services The United States has moved beyond the industrial economy stage to the point where it hasbecome the worlds first service economy. Almost three-fourths of the nonfarm labor force isemployed in service industries, and over two-thirds of the nations gross national product isaccounted for by services. Also,service jobs typically hold up better during a recession than do jobsin industries producing tangible goods2.During the 20-year period of 1966 t0 1986,about 36 million new jobs were created in theUnited States - far more than in Japan and Westem Europe combined. About 90 percent of thesejobs were in service industries. During this same time span,some 22 million women joined the laborforce - and 97 percent of these women went to work in the service sector. These employmenttrends are expected to continue at least until the year 2000..For the period 1986 - 2000,the Bureauof Labor Statistics predicts that over 21 million new jobs will be created and 93 percent of them willbe in service industries.Moreover,most of this explosive growth in services employment is not in low-paying jobs,contrary to the beliefs of many economists3 ,business and labor leaders,and politicians. These peopleargue that manufacturing jobs,which have been the economic foundation of Americas middle class,are vanishing. They claim that factory workers are being replaced with a host of4 low-wage earners.It is true that manufacturing jobs have declined,with many of them going to foreign countries. It isalso true that there has been growth in some low-paying service jobs. Yet cooks and counter peoplestill represent only l percent of the U.S.labor force today. Furthermore,for many years the fastest-growing occupational category has been professional,technical,and related work.? These jobs paywell above the average,and most are in service industries.About one-half of consumer expenditures are for the purchase of services. Projections to theyear 20005 indicate that service