The concept of service industry is still controversial in the theoretical circle. Generally speaking, service industry refers to the collection of production departments and enterprises that produce and sell service products. Compared with other industrial products, service products have the characteristics of intangibility, non-storability and the simultaneity of production and consumption. In the actual work of national economic accounting in China, service industry is regarded as the tertiary industry, that is, service industry is defined as all other industrial sectors except agriculture and industry.
Modern service industry is roughly equivalent to modern tertiary industry. In the report on the establishment of tertiary industry statistics from 65438 to 0985, the National Bureau of Statistics divided the tertiary industry into four levels: the first level is the circulation department, including transportation, post and telecommunications, commercial catering, material supply and marketing and warehousing; The second level is the departments that serve production and life, including finance, insurance, public utilities, residents' services, tourism, consulting information services and various technical services. The third level is the departments that serve to improve the scientific and cultural level and the quality of residents, including education, culture, radio and television, scientific research, living welfare, etc. The fourth level is the departments that serve the needs of the public, including state organs, social organizations, the army and the police. ?