Co-existence of service and productiveness of education from consumers’ perspective

Abstract

Neither of the “Three Industry” Theory nor the “General Agreement of Trading Service” (GATS) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) can be the essential criteria to analyze the property of education. The property of education can be defined from consumers’ perspective. The direct consumers of education are students; but the ultimate consumers of education include parents, employers, society and governments as well. From the perspective of consumers, education is both a service and a productive institution.

摘要

三次产业划分理论和世界贸易组织的 «服务贸易协定» 都不能作为判断教育属性的根本依据。 教育是以消费为目的的, 理解教育的属性也应从消费者的角度出发。 教育的直接消费者是学生, 但最终消费者还包括家长、 用人单位、 社会和政府等。 从消费者的角度来看, 教育具有服务性与生产性。