Editing Service economy

Redefining all reference to [[commodity]] or [[product]] relations as part of the [[service sector]] is the goal of those who use the term '''service economy'''.  

In this service-centric view of the economy, there is literally "'''no such thing as a product'''."  Everything purchased has services necessarily assumed within it.

This is seen, especially in [[green economics]] and more specific theories within it such as [[Natural Capitalism]], as having these benefits:

*Much easier integration with [[accounting]] for [[nature's services]]
*Much easier integration with [[state services]] under [[globalization]], e.g. [[meat inspection]] is a service that is assumed within a product price, but which can vary quite drastically with jurisdiction, with some serious effects.
*Association of goods movements in [[commodity markets]] with [[negative commodity]] (representing [[emission trading|emissions]] or other [[pollution]], [[biodiversity]] loss, [[biosecurity]] risk) [[public bad]]s so that no commodity can be traded without assuming responsibility for damage done by its extraction, processing, shipping, trading and sale - its [[comprehensive outcome]]
*Easier integration with [[urban ecology]] and [[industrial ecology]] modelling
*Making it easier to relate to the [[Experience Economy]] of actual [[quality of life]] decisions made by human beings based on assumptions about service, and integrating [[economics]] better with [[marketing]] theory about [[brand value]] e.g. products are purchased for their assumed suitability for providing a desired service.  This assumes that the user's experience with the brand (implying a service they expect) is far more important than its technical characteristics

[[Full cost accounting]] and most [[accounting reform]] and [[monetary reform]] measures are usually thought to be impossible to achieve without a good model of the service economy.

[[Product stewardship]] or '''product take-back''' are words for a specific requirement or measure in which the service of [[waste disposal]] is paid for at time of purchase.  It is often applied to paint, tires, and other goods that become [[toxic waste]] if not disposed of properly.  It is most familiar as the [[deposit bottle]] - where one pays for the loan of the bottle at the same time as one purchases what is inside it.  Legal requirements vary:  the bottle itself may be considered the [[property]] of the purchaser of the contents, or, the purchaser may have some obligation to return the bottle to some depot so it can be [[recycling|recycled]] or re-used.  So these are partial implementations of a strict service economy ideal.