servicesektorandel

The servicesektorandel, or service-sector share, refers to the proportion of an economy’s activity accounted for by the services sector. It is usually measured as the services share of gross domestic product (GDP) or of total employment, based on standard industrial classifications such as ISIC or NACE. The two measures illuminate different aspects: GDP share reflects value added generated by services, while employment share shows how labor is allocated across the economy. Cross-country comparisons typically rely on data from national accounts and harmonized series provided by organizations like the OECD, World Bank, and Eurostat.

In most advanced economies, services account for the majority of GDP and employment, often around 70 percent or more. In many developing economies, the share of manufacturing and agriculture remains higher, but services generally rise with income levels as part of structural transformation. Within services, subsectors include wholesale and retail, financial and professional services, information and communications, health, education, hospitality, and public administration.

Trends influencing the service-sector share include urbanization, technological progress, and globalization. Digitalization has expanded traded services and productivity in many subsectors, although productivity growth in services can lag behind manufacturing. The rising service-sector share has implications for policy, including the need for human capital development, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and balanced fiscal and social policy.

Limitations exist in cross-country comparisons due to definitional differences and measurement issues, such as the treatment of government services and prices, which can affect the reported service-sector share.