Sectors of Industry

 
Primary sector of industry:

Primary industry is found in larger amounts in developing countries; for instance, animal husbandry is more common in Africa than in Japan. The primary sector of industry generally involves the changing process of natural resources into primary products. Most products from this sector are considered raw materials for other industries. Major businesses in this sector include agriculture, agribusiness, fishing, forestry and all mining and quarrying industries.The manufacturing industries that aggregate, pack, package, purify or process the raw materials close to the primary producers are normally considered part of this sector, especially if the raw material is unsuitable for sale or difficult to transport long distances. However in developed countries primary industry becomes more developed and more high-tech, for instance the mechanization of arable farming opposed to hand picking and planting. In America in the corn belt combine harvesters pick the corn, spray systems distribute large amounts of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides thus proving that the more developed an economy is, the higher the capital that is invested into expansion is. These technological advances and investment allow the primary sector to require less workforce and, this way, developed countries tend to have a smaller percentage of their workforce involved in primary activities.
 
Secondary sector of industry :

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,

 
Tertiary sector of industry:

Historically certain manufacturing industries have gone into a decline due to various economic factors, including the development of replacement technology or the loss of competitive advantage. An example of the former is the decline in carriage manufacturing when the automobile was mass-produced.

A recent trend has been the migration of prosperous, industrialized nations toward a post-industrial society. This is manifested by an increase in the service sector at the expense of manufacturing, and the development of an information-based economy, the so-called informational revolution. In a post-industrial society, manufacturing is relocated to more economically-favorable locations through a process of offshoring

 
Quaternary sector of industry:

Quaternary sector of industry is the sector of industry including the intellectual services - research, development, and information. It was once considered part of the tertiary sector of industry. This includes the high technology industry, with information and communication technology and some forms of scientific research, as well as education and consulting, and information industry.

The quaternary sector can be seen as the sector in which companies invest in order to ensure further expansion. Research will be directed into cutting costs, tapping into markets, producing innovative ideas, new production methods and methods of manufacture, amongst others. To many industries, such as pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer, the sector is the most valuable because it creates future branded products which the company will profit from. According to some definitions, the quaternary sector also includes all other pure services, such as the entertainment industry. There is also the notion of a "quinary sector" which would encompass health, education, culture and research.

 
 

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