Business and consumer services

Description:

Leasing, rather than buying, is increasingly becoming an attractive option for both consumers and businesses. This article looks at the industries that rent or lease: automobiles and trucks; and machinery and equipment. In some instances, the focus turns to the sub-industries comprising these broader industry groups. The article quantitatively examines the industries' financial performances, and employment, remuneration, and output levels from 1991 to 1995. Also examined is the effect of firm size on outcomes in these industries.

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Since the introduction of casinos and video lottery terminals in the 1990s, growth in gambling has outstripped that of most other industries. This article updates an earlier examination of employment and government revenue for this industry, as well as average household spending on games of chance.

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The significance of business services in the economy and their role in fostering competitiveness has attracted considerable attention in recent years. This paper, the first of a two-part series, examines the evolution of business services in Canada over the last three decades. It draws a demographic profile of this group from an industrial and a geographical perspective, and analyzes its size, structure, output and growth, R & D involvement as well as the sources of demand and supply of business service commodities.

The industrial group is made up of a large number of small firms that produce services to be used primarily as intermediate inputs in the production processes of other industries. Business services industries are labour intensive with high value-added and are predominantly located in metropolitan areas. Their growth has outpaced the economy average by a huge margin. Despite the high level of exports, increasing deficits characterize international trade in business service commodities. Business services account for a significant proportion of R & D performed in Canada. They are not immune to economic downturns.

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This paper is the second of a two-part series on business services and their role in the Canadian economy. It provides a detailed industrial and geographical profile of employment, illustrates its composition and major characteristics and analyzes its sources of growth by type, gender, occupation, education and other features.

Business services is a dynamic sector with impressive employment growth, considerably higher than the economy average. Growth has been particularly strong in self-employment, part-time and female employment. Much of the growth in employment originates in the computer services industry. The proportion of managerial and professional positions has been growing relative to clerical ones. Employment is heavily concentrated in urban centres. Individuals employed in these industries are better educated and better paid than the average worker.

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The funeral services industry touches, inevitably, on everyone's life. In Canada, this is reflected to a great degree by aspects of the industry's economic performance, as well as by the numerous regulations regarding public health and consumer protection. This paper draws from a number of sources to offer a wide-ranging picture of the industry and an outlook toward its future.The paper begins with an outline of the regulatory environment within which the Canadian funeral services industry operates. It then analyses its financial structure.

The industry is characterized by above-average profitability and revenue growth, as well as by low rates of exit and entry and rather limited concentration. The section on industry prices illustrates the potential for deriving average funeral costs from aggregate industry data. This is followed by a brief exposition of market demand, which in this industry's context, is measured by the number of deaths. Demographic projections conclusively point to a robust economic outlook for funeral services, particularly in light of the ageing of the Canadian population.

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The new reality in the telecommunication service industry is one of competition among service suppliers for market shares. This paper analyzes and presents information from a survey on the demand and diffusion of telecommunication services by Business Services firms.

Businesses care very much about the prices of these services. At the same time they care about the range and the quality of services offered. They believe that use of such services is indispensable in dealing with their clients and improves their productivity. Currently, the service used the most is facsimile. Large firms use telecommunication services more extensively than others and they are taking full advantage of competition. 61% of the large firms surveyed use at least one alternative supplier. Firms in the computer services industry have a different pattern of use than other industries in the group. There is potential for growth in the use of all services.

Description:

The insurance industry in Canada is at a crossroads. The regulatory authorities are currently exploring whether or not to allow banks to sell insurance products. To gain a better understanding of the impact of such a decision, this paper examines the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry, during the 1987-1992 period. Emphasis is placed on the distinction between the direct insurance and reinsurance markets. The paper also analyzes the industry's market concentration by product line and compares the behaviour and performance of Canadian and foreign-controlled firms.

The analysis reveals a generally competitive market, in which many small firms co-exist with some very large ones. Foreign-controlled firms outnumber their Canadian counterparts, but are on average smaller and account for only one-quarter of the market. There is a substantial number of firms that specialize in a single product. These firms tend to operate in the largest markets, where they can spread the risk either among a large pool of customers, or through reinsurance. No correlation was found between firm size and efficiency.

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Temporary help is an integral part of the workforce strategy of many businesses. Temporary help workers may be on the payroll of the organization where they work or they may be employees of the firms in personnel supplier industry, placed in the organization under contract.

The study is an analysis of the personnel supplier industry, commonly known as the temporary help industry. The paper begins with a discussion of the special nature of the industry's product. The role of temporary help in the labour market is compared to just-in-time inventory technology in material handling and bridge financing in the financial markets. It then analyzes the industry's structure in terms of occupations and skill levels, degree of specialization and its determinants, competition at the industry and product levels, major markets and trade. Finally, the growth and cycles in the industry are analyzed in terms of the business demographics, highlighting the effect of firm size and vintage.

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This paper describes the financial intermediation activity of insurance companies and its similarities to the activity of the other financial intermediaries. The financial intermediation activity encompasses the issue of financial instruments such as claims, the use of the funds collected to make loans and the acquisition of a variety of other financial assets. An insurance policy is a claim on the insurance company, albeit a contingent one, just as a bank deposit is a claim on the bank.

Several major trends seem to be emerging regarding the product mix of these companies. With regard to life insurance, the decline of whole life policies in favour of term policies for almost 20 years seems to be irreversible. Furthermore, there has been a substantial increase in the share of annuities (especially individual annuities) at the expense of life insurance.

The paper also outlines a cross country comparison of life and non-life insurance industry asset structures. Each type of company establishes its own investment strategy to suit its own needs: life insurance companies prefer long-term assets with returns that maintain purchasing power, and non-life insurance companies generally prefer more liquid assets. Regulation also seems to affect the asset structure at the national and international levels. For a number of countries, including Canada, regulation seems to favour investments in less risky assets, such as government bonds, instead of in the stock market.

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This article utilizes information on business startups and closures to examine change and volatility in the service economy. Industries on the cutting edge of technology experience more volatility and are also the fastest growing. Many firms enter the business services and communication industries to seize opportunities offered by technological advances but many are also forced out by the stiff competition. The information-intensive industries (software developers and advertising services firms) are almost twice as volatile as the knowledge-based industries. The latter have low business entry and exit rates because the amount of human capital required to set up a professional practice is large and takes years to acquire.

Description: The summary statistics by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which include: operating revenue (dollars x 1,000,000), operating expenses (dollars x 1,000,000), salaries wages and benefits (dollars x 1,000,000), and operating profit margin (by percent), of spectator sports, event promoters, artists and related industries (NAICS 7112,7113,7114 & 7115), annual, for five years of data.

Description: The operating expenses by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which include all members under industry expenditures, for spectator sports, event promoters, artists and related industries (NAICS 7112,7113,7114 & 7115), annual (percent), for five years of data.

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E-commerce sales by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), includes all members under sales, for Canada, for one year of data.

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This table contains 14 series, with data for years 2013 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada); North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (1 item: Spectator sports); Sales and service revenue, type of service (14 items: Total sales of goods and services; Admissions to live performances and events presented by this business; Facility rental revenue; Rental revenue of traveller accommodation; ...).

Description:

This data visualization tool provides access to current and historical data for the Architectural, Engineering and Related Services Price Index (AESPI), and it's subcomponents at the national level, as well as at regional levels for B.C. and Territories, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces. It allows users to view the index series, quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year percent changes, and to compare and analyze price changes across the different sub-components and regions. This web-based application is updated quarterly.

Description: The summary statistics by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which include: operating revenue (dollars x 1,000,000), operating expenses (dollars x 1,000,000), salaries wages and benefits (dollars x 1,000,000), and operating profit margin (by percent), of automotive repair and maintenance (NAICS 8111), annual, for five years of data.

Description: The operating expenses by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which include all members under industry expenditures, for automotive repair and maintenance (NAICS 81111, 81112 and 81119), annual (percent), for five years of data.

Description: The sales by type of client based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which include all members under type of client, for automotive repair and maintenance (NAICS 81111, 81112 and 81119), annual, for five years of data.

Description:

The summary statistics by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which include: operating revenue (dollars x 1,000,000), operating expenses (dollars x 1,000,000), salaries wages and benefits (dollars x 1,000,000), and operating profit margin (by percent), of real estate agents, brokers and appraisers (NAICS 53121) & offices of real estate appraisers (NAICS 53132), annual, for five years of data.

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The industry expenses expressed in percentage of the total operating expenses, for real estate agents, brokers (North American Industry Classification System 53121), annual, two years of data.

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This note updates national and provincial data for most charts and tables published in two previous Perspectives articles on gambling.

Description:

This paper explores differences between innovative and non-innovative establishments in business service industries. It focuses on small establishments that supply core technical inputs to other firms: establishments in computer and related services, engineering, and other scientific and technical services.

The analysis begins by examining the incidence of innovation within the small firm population. Forty percent of small businesses report introducing new or improved products, processes or organizational forms. Among these businesses, product innovation dominates over process or organizational change. A majority of these establishments reveal an ongoing commitment to innovation programs by introducing innovations on a regular basis. By contrast, businesses that do not introduce new or improved products, processes or organizational methods reveal little supporting evidence of innovation activity.

The paper then investigates differences in strategic intensity between innovative and non-innovative businesses. Innovators attach greater importance to financial management and capital acquisition. Innovators also place more emphasis on recruiting skilled labour and on promoting incentive compensation. These distinctions are sensible - among small firms in R&D-intensive industries, financing and human resource competencies play a critical role in the innovation process.

A final section examines whether the obstacles to innovation differ between innovators and non-innovators. Innovators are more likely to report difficulties related to market success, imitation, and skill restrictions. Evidence of learning-by-doing is more apparent within a multivariate framework. The probability of encountering risk-related obstacles and input restrictions is higher among establishments that engage in R&D and use intellectual property rights, both key elements of the innovation process. Many obstacles to innovation are also more apparent for businesses that stress financing, marketing, production or human resource strategies.

Description:

In studies of business innovation, the term innovation process is used to describe (i) the array of sources and objectives that culminate in the act of innovation, (ii) the set of market effects that result from innovation, and (iii) the obstacles that firms encounter when pursuing innovation strategies. An examination of the innovation process is thus designed to bring about a more comprehensive understanding of the characteristics that innovative firms share, as well as of those characteristics that set innovators apart from other businesses. The Survey of Innovation, 1996 examined innovation in three dynamic service industries: communications, financial services, and technical business services.

This paper explores the principal findings to emerge from the Survey of Innovation, 1996. Two themes are apparent. In the first instance, many elements of the innovation process are common to all the service industries studied, such as an emphasis on product innovation, a strong customer orientation, and a commitment to service quality. Beyond these common elements, however, differences in competitive pressures across these industries serve to engender important differences in innovation strategies. Accordingly, much of what we can ultimately learn about the innovation process occurs at the industry level.

Description:

This article presents, for the first time, findings about the engineering services industry. This industry is comprised of firms primarily engaged in providing engineering services. It offers services ranging from feasibility studies to design, project management and commissioning (or the start-up of the operation) of projects.

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The travel agency industry plays an essential role in Canada's tourism industry, and has ripple effects on other sectors of the Canadian economy. This article presents 1997 data on the industry's general characteristics, revenue and cost structure, client base, marketing methods, and trade patterns. To offer more context, these results are sometimes compared to those of previous years.

Description:

This article focuses on characteristics of primary Internet service providers (ISPs), that is, firms reporting that 50% or more of their revenues come from ISP activities. It looks at challenges facing ISPs including barriers to growth, competing in the Internet sector, complaints and practices regarding offensive content and conduct, as well as ISPs' perceptions of what is important to their customers. These items are analysed after classifying ISPs into four different size categories, enabling one to see any differences in perception or conduct between ISPs of varying sizes.

Description:

This chapter describes four specific industry sectors : accomodation services, restaurant services, travel agencies and tour operators, and Canadian tourist attractions.

Description:

Tourism affects a number of industries. Hotels, travel agencies, airlines and restaurants are to varying degrees affected by tourism. Thus, tourism is not just one industry, but an amalgam of several, and the tourism phenomenon raises a number of questions because of its complexity, its various ramifications and its scope.

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The purpose of this chapter is, first, to review some of the current long and medium term forecasts for tourism globally and within Canada. Secondly, the chapter discusses some of the Canadian tourism industries' current responses to their changing economic and social context.

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Growth in the gambling industries has continued to outstrip that of most industries. Gambling has brought such economic benefits as increased revenues and employment to many regions. Although some communities have not embraced the arrival of casinos and video lottery terminals, most households in Canada do participate in and spend money on some form of gambling activity. This article presents a statistical portrait of Canada's gambling industry. It examines the economic output, jobs, and government revenues generated by the gambling industry, and also provides provincial comparisons.

Description: This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.

Description: This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.

Description: Statistics Canada is conducting this survey on behalf of the Canadian Tourism Commission, which will use the results to produce and up-to-date and comprehensive study of the adventure travel sector in Canada.

Description: The main purposes of this survey are to gather information at the Canada level and, where possible, at the regional level on the size of the industry, its characteristics and the role played by foreign students. It also gives decision makers necessary tools to design appropriate policies, and the survey providers a profile of their industry.

Description: The survey objective is the collection and publication of data necessary for the statistical analysis of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) industry.

Description: This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.

Description: This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.

Description: This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.

Description: This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.

Description: This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.