What is the difference between a postindustrial structure and an industrial one? Key Features

Post-industrial society has a distinctive feature: during the scientific and technological revolution, the primary production of goods has given way to the production of services. At the same time, the main production resources were knowledge and information. Thus, the driving force and basis of the economy are scientific developments, and the most important qualities for the employee are learning, professionalism and creativity.

The post-industrial structure of the economy assumes that in the general structure of GDP more than 50% falls on the service sector.

At the dawn of the 21st century, the United States belonged to post-industrial states (services - 80% of GDP, 2002), EU countries (69.4%, 2004) and Japan (67.7%, 2001).

Key features of the postindustrial economy

Now let us consider in more detail what distinguishes the postindustrial structure from the industrial one:

• The growth of the value of information and knowledge - a large share of the cost of goods is not the payment of machines, materials, routine labor, but marketing research, development, design concepts, etc.
• Increase in the share of high-tech products in the GDP structure.
• Technological improvement and automation of production processes.
• The growth of the share of services in the structure of GDP, as well as the flow of labor resources into it.
• The change in the structure of the needs of the population is becoming increasingly important for people acquiring intangible benefits, free time.
• The emergence of a new labor motivation - an employee is interested not only in material encouragement, he also seeks to realize himself professionally and creatively, to take part in the management of production.

Speaking about the difference between the postindustrial structure and the industrial one, we should also note the rapidly growing role of information production.

The main costs are for the manufacture of the original sample. Further costs for copying will be immaterial.

However, this sphere can not develop without active protection of intellectual property rights at the legislative level, as well as without a sufficient number of consumers who have opportunities for its productive use and are ready to offer "non-informational" goods in exchange.

Strengthening the position of small and medium businesses

What is the difference between a postindustrial structure and an industrial one besides this? One of the most important features is the reduction in the role of mass production and the simultaneous development of small business. The market receives a large number of small-scale products with various versions of modifications, new options for services. Having received the opportunity to satisfy the needs of different groups of consumers, flexible small enterprises for the first time become competitive. Moreover, they manage to take worthy positions not only in local markets, but also beyond them (globally).

Technological changes

Studying what distinguishes the postindustrial structure from the industrial one, it is worthwhile to examine in detail the technological changes that are taking place. In the postindustrial society, the main emphasis is on the development of resource-saving, science-intensive and information (high) technologies:

• software;
• microelectronics;
• robotics;
• Telecommunications;
• Biotechnology;
• Production of materials with predetermined properties.

At the same time, electronic technologies replace traditional mechanical interactions, the production process becomes automated, and instead of unskilled labor, machines and computers are used.

Social transformations

The structure of the postindustrial society is changing, in particular, the composition of labor resources. This means that the share of manual labor in the production process decreases, and mental highly skilled and creative work, on the contrary, become more important. More and more costs are required for training the workforce: training, advanced training, etc.

The dominant role is played by meritocracy - the intellectual elite. The main thing is the so-called class of professionals. D. Bell - the founder of postindustrialism - also noted the tendency to property stratification on the basis of education.

If the industrial structure of the economy assumes the existence of a constant need for unskilled labor, then in a post-industrial society the population with a low level of education, on the contrary, faces difficulties.

The main form of life activity is the development of human abilities and inclinations, and material motivation partly gives way to the desire for self-expression in activity.