Quaternary sector of industry
The
quaternary sector of industry is the sector of
industry that involves the
intellectual services. That is research, development, and information. It is considered the fourth basic industry out of all of them: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary. It was once, and by some still is, considered just a subset of the general service-oriented
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.
*
Tertiary sector of industry*
Industrial policy
