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Services
Definition
A service activity is essentially characterised by the act of making a technical or intellectual capacity available. In contrast to an industrial activity, it cannot be described solely by the characteristics of a tangible asset acquired by the client. Services, within the broadest sense of the tem, cover a vast field of activities ranging from commerce to administration, via transport, financial and real estate activities, professional, scientific, technical, administrative and support service activities, services to businesses, personal services, education, health and social services. Such is the meaning generally given by the Anglo-Saxons to the word "services".
In France, in statistics, this vast set is called "tertiary activities". A distinction is made between tertiary market services (transport, trade, services to businesses, personal services, real estate and financial activities) and non-market services (education, health, social services, administration, etc.). The term "services sectors" is then used more restrictively as being limited to services to businesses and personal services.
