This article is about a term used in economics. For other uses, see service (disambiguation).

In economics and marketing, a service is the non-material equivalent of a good. Service provision has been defined as an economic activity that does not result in ownership, and this is what differentiates it from providing physical goods. It is claimed to be a process that creates benefits by facilitating either a change in customers, a change in their physical possessions, or a change in their intangible assets.

By supplying some level of skill, ingenuity, and experience, providers of a service participate in an economy without the restrictions of carrying stock (inventory) or the need to concern themselves with bulky raw materials. On the other hand, their investment in expertise does require marketing and upgrading in the face of competition which has equally few physical restrictions.

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The Seattle Times: Business & Technology

Aviation industry shows green efforts at Farnborough
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:16:40 -0700
The aviation industry, including Boeing, used the Air Show to press the message that it is making great progress in reducing its carbon emissions.
Seattle office market could turn in tenants' favor next year
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:16:18 -0700
The downtown Seattle office market is likely to become more favorable to tenants by late 2009 or early 2010, some commercial real-estate professionals predict.
Amid scams, some do find work at home
Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:03:52 -0700
As gasoline prices soar and joblessness mounts, the nonstop stream of e-mail I get from readers wanting to work from home is rising, too...

Wired Top Stories

Sturdy Econo Speakers Rock Your Knoll, Blast Your Neighbors
Christopher Jones Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:00:00 -0000
These backyard boomers will satisfy your hard rock cravings. Sophisticated outdoor speakers combine earth-shaking bass with a clean, well-balanced sound.
Difference Engine: An Interview With Neil Halstead
Scott Thill Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:15:00 -0000
Neil Halstead leaves behind Slowdive's wall of gear and sound for a solo career featuring intimate pop. "We had a lot of pedals, a lot of love and some good grass," Halstead confesses. "When the love ran out, we sold the grass and smoked the pedals."
Flying Without ID? Know What's in Your Files
Ryan Singel Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:00:00 -0000
Under new rules from the Transportation Security Administration, travelers who try to fly without ID will need to provide personal information from public records to convince federal employees to let them past the x-ray machines and onto the plane.

News items | ZDNet

Yahoo may revisit News Corp if AOL dims: source
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:31:18 -0700
Yahoo is unlikely to get into a bidding war over AOL with Microsoft because Yahoo could instead renew talks over News Corp's Web properties. NEW YORK--Yahoo is unlikely to get into a bidding war over AOL with Microsoft because if Microsoft gets in the way, Yahoo could instead renew...
EU files new charges against Intel
Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:04:33 -0700
European Union antitrust regulators say Intel paid retailers to not sell PCs using chips made by rival Advanced Micro Devices. BRUSSELS--European Union antitrust regulators made new accusations against chipmaker Intel on Thursday, saying it paid retailers to not sell PCs using chips made by rival Advanced Micro Devices. ...
Torvalds attacks IT industry 'security circus'
Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:05:00 -0700
The Linux creator has some harsh words for creators of the OpenBSD operating system, as part of a wider critique of what he sees as self-centered behavior in the IT security industry Linux creator Linus Thorvalds has labeled makers of the OpenBSD operating system a "bunch of masturbating monkeys",...

IT Management - RSS Sponsorship

SaaS vendor quits browser to boost sales
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:30:54 -0700
SaaS CRM vendor Entellium is phasing out its browser-based offerings in favor of a smart client version that it says sells faster, better and at one-fifth of the marketing costs of the old version. by Phil Wainewright
SaaS vendor quits browser to boost sales
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:30:54 -0700
SaaS CRM vendor Entellium is phasing out its browser-based offerings in favor of a smart client version that it says sells faster, better and at one-fifth of the marketing costs of the old version. by Phil Wainewright
SaaS vendor quits browser to boost sales
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:30:54 -0700
SaaS CRM vendor Entellium is phasing out its browser-based offerings in favor of a smart client version that it says sells faster, better and at one-fifth of the marketing costs of the old version. by Phil Wainewright

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