The essentials
Quaternary activities centre around the research, development, collection, production and dissemination of information and knowledge. They form an advanced type of service. People working in these activities include those in office buildings, schools, universities, hospitals, theatres, accounting and brokerage firms, and information technology. Quaternary workers are skilled, highly educated and well paid.
Unlike some tertiary jobs, quaternary jobs are not tied to resources, the environment or the location of markets. They are "footloose", since information can move electronically.
Quinary activities are the highest level of decision-making. They involve senior business executives, government officials, research scientists and financial and legal consultants. These are sometimes called "gold collar" professions.
Key points
- Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) involves highly skilled workers in research, analysis and specialised knowledge work, unlike BPO, which handles more routine processes.
- India has become a destination for KPO and BPO because of skilled English-speaking workers and lower costs.
- Digital divide: unequal access to information and communication technology between countries and within countries, such as between rural and urban areas.
- Quaternary and quinary workers form a growing share of the workforce in developed economies.
- Examples of quaternary work: software development, market research, data analysis, research and development, education and information services.
Exam tips
Remember the hierarchy: tertiary (routine services) → quaternary (knowledge) → quinary (top-level decisions). Be clear about the BPO–KPO difference.
Common mistakes
Do not classify every office job as quaternary; a cashier or courier is tertiary, while a research analyst is quaternary.