Definition
The productive sector includes both domestic and foreign-owned industrial and trading establishments located in the country, which produce and distribute goods and services for sale, and organizations directly serving them, whatever their form of ownership, private, non-profit, or government. It also includes government monopolies and nationalized industries, particularly public utilities, transport undertakings, post offices, communications and broadcasting, and all other government establishments which function as productive units. Also included are governmental or non-governmental organizations and private non-profit institutions mainly or exclusively serving industrial or trading establishments, except those institutes, experimental stations, etc., operating under the direct control of, or being associated with institutions of higher education. In former socialist countries, R&D institutes of branch ministries were classified in this sector.
