Modern Service Economy Theory and the Development of China's Service Industry

Author: Huang Weibing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: In today's world, the service industry has become one of the most extensive industries, no longer limited to traditional sectors such as catering, repair, and retail. According to the classification table developed by the WTO Statistics and Information System Division (SISD), the service industry includes 11 major categories and over 150 subcategories. Within this vast field of modern services, a significant portion is closely related to national economic and people's livelihood. For example, the financial service industry is vital to the of the national economy; the information service industry not only concerns national security and people's lives but has also become an important weapon for countries to participate in future global competition. From the current trend of international economic development, the service industry may become a global major industry and a sustained driving force for the continuous development of economies worldwide. However, in China, due to the long-term constraints of the planned economy mindset, a traditional notion of prioritizing goods over services has formed. As a result, not only has the service industry developed slowly, but economic theoretical research has also rarely addressed service economy issues. With the deepening of reform and opening-up, China has entered a critical period of strategic adjustment in its economic structure. Vigorously developing the service industry holds profound strategic significance. Therefore, based on my own experience in professional teaching and research, guided by Marxism and drawing on Western service economy theories, I have taken the entire service industry as the research subject to conduct a systematic study on the fundamental theoretical issues of the service economy. Combining China's national conditions, I have applied the theory to practice and further explored in-depth issues related to the development of China's service industry. The research findings of this book hold certain theoretical and practical significance for determining the role of the service industry in China's industrial structure, raising people's awareness of its importance, and especially for governments at all levels and relevant departments in formulating development strategies and policies for the service industry.