The Business Services Industry Sets Pace in Employment Growth

Just as businesses purchase raw materials, machinery, or office equipment from suppliers, they also purchase services . These services may be highly technical, such as the development and sale of specialized computer software programs, or they can be more mundane, such as building cleaning and maintenance . Also, the need may be year round, such as for payroll processing, or temporary, such as for a fill-in receptionist . In any case, the use of contractors to supply certain types of services gives an employer considerable flexibility, and often is less expensive than hiring permanent employees to provide the same services . Business services is the fastest growing industry in the economy, and, while still small in the aggregate, may be representative of changes in the way many American companies are doing business . The business services industry is made up of seven major industries :' advertising ; consumer credit reporting and collection; mailing, reproduction, and stenographic services ; services to buildings, including cleaning, maintenance, and