serviceøkonomi

Serviceøkonomi, or service economy, is an economic system in which services account for the majority of economic activity and employment. The service sector includes financial services, health and social care, education, professional services, information and communication technologies, hospitality, retail, and public administration. In a service economy, value is often intangible and co-produced with customers, and productivity measurement is more challenging than in manufacturing. Digitalization and globalization have accelerated the growth of knowledge-intensive services such as software, consulting, and finance, while traditional consumer services bridge households and firms.

The shift toward services emerged in many advanced economies during the 20th century as manufacturing became more automated and globalized. Services now generate a large share of GDP and employment, though the composition varies by country. Some services, especially tradable professional and digital services, contribute to cross-border trade; non-tradable services such as local healthcare or education are more tied to domestic demand.

Policy implications include investment in human capital, digital infrastructure, data governance, and innovation to raise productivity in services. Education and skill development are key, as is improving service quality, customer experience, and regulatory environments that enable competition and fair market access. Challenges include measuring service productivity, addressing wage dispersion, and managing the social impact of automation and outsourcing. The service economy remains central to growth, development, and competitiveness in high-income countries and increasingly in emerging economies as they diversify away from manufacturing.