Paradigm

For the exclusive use of Glen Hodgson, hodgson@conferenceboard.ca, The Conference Board of Canada.
Canada’s New Trade and Technology Paradigm
Finding the Right Policy Mix
its manufacturing sector in size. 18 Canada is not yet fully tapping into
these opportunities, yet it has proven strengths in many areas that are in
high demand, such as engineering and architectural services associated
with Asia’s massive infrastructure needs.
High-Value Business Services
High-value business services have been linked to product exports that are more
competitive, increased business profitability, and higher-paying jobs. High-value
business services include:
• communications—e.g., telecommunications, Internet access provisions, and
maintenance of networks;
• computer and information—e.g., technology support, software development,
database services, and news agencies;
• intellectual property—e.g., royalties and licence fees, trademarks, copyrights,
patents, manufacturing rights, franchises, and the use of produced manuscripts
and films;
• financial services—e.g., lines of credit, foreign exchange transactions, consumer
and business credit services, and brokerage services;
• insurance and pensions;
• R&D—e.g., applied research, and experimental development of new products
and processes;
• professional and management services—e.g., legal, accounting, advertising,
and management consulting;
• technical and scientific services—e.g., architectural, engineering, scientific, and
services incidental to mining, oil and gas extraction, agriculture, and forestry
Source: The Conference Board of Canada.
The rise of services is not about the end of manufacturing. Services
represent some of the highest-value contributors in production chains.
Activities such as R&D that are performed at the beginning of the
18 Brandt, Policy Perspectives From the Bottom Up.
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