The secondary sector of industry includes
those economic sectors that create a finished,
usable product: manufacturing and construction.
This sector of industry generally takes the
output of the primary sector and manufactures
finished goods or products to a point where
they are suitable for use by other businesses,
for export, or sale to domestic consumers.
This sector is often divided into light industry
and heavy industry. Many of these industries
consume large quantities of energy and require
factories and machinery to convert the raw
materials into goods and products. They also
produce waste materials and waste heat that
may pose environmental problems or cause pollution.
Some economists contrast wealth producing
sectors in an economy such as manufacturing
with the service sector which tends to be
wealth consuming. Examples of service may
include retail, insurance, and government.
These economists contend that an economy
begins to decline as its wealth producing
sector shrinks. Manufacturing is an important
activity to promote economic growth and
development. Nations which export manufactured
products tend to generate higher marginal
GDP growth which supports higher incomes
and marginal tax revenue needed to fund
the quality of life initiatives such as
health care and infrastructure in the economy.
The field is an important source for engineering
job opportunities. Among developed countries,
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