ABSTRACT

Although it has been suggested that it is difficult to make a hard-and-fast division of services between producer and consumer types, it is useful to continue an examination of location in the context of this dichotomy. Therfore, the focus of this chapter will be those services mainly involved in providing their output to other firms as inputs for further production, including wholesaling; a large part of insurance, banking and finance; a diverse group of professional services such as accounting; various types of consulting such as management, marketing, or engineering research and advice; advertising; legal services and trade and other professional organizations; and research and development. These services mainly provide white-collar employment but activities with a large proportion of blue-collar labour such as office cleaning, security services, or food and drink vending machine services are also included among the producer services (Wood, 1983).