Clark Fisher Model

1. Clark-Fisher Model

2. The model shows how as an economy grows
the relative importance of different sector
changes

3. Pre-Industrial
Primary sector dominates
Mining, Agriculture etc
Relatively primitive economies

4. Industrial
Growth of manufacturing industry (Secondary)
To support population growth in the demand for
services. E.g. Transport, water, electricity, financial
etc.

5. Post-Industrial
Gradually the tertiary sector becomes more
important as manufacturing dies away
Common in many MEDC’s

6. Quaternary
In many developed economies this quaternary sector
has developed
Services such as Research and development and IT.

7. This model works well for westernised countries as
well as the south
Some people believe that Globalisation speeds this
process up and can change the sequence
Tourism growth could mean a by-pass of the
industrial phase
Whether it fulfills the destiny of every country remains
to be seen
There is debate over whether some countries could
develop further
The speed of development is by no means the same
for everyone

8. Current Thinking
Favours the idea that there is more than one
path to development.
In LEDC’s tertiary sector is overtaking
secondary sector and can in some cases by-
pass it.

9. In a Nut shell
Clark-Fisher model uses percentages employed in each sector to
show that many economies move through three stages: primary,
when the largest percentage are employed in primary industry;
secondary, when the largest percentage are employed in
secondary industry and the post-industrial stage, when most
people are in tertiary industry.
This change is driven by an increase in productivity per
employee. Increased productivity in agriculture frees people to
work in manufacturing. Increased manufacturing productivity and
increased income means people spend proportionally less on
agricultural goods than manufactured goods, and in turn less on
manufactured goods than services.
The model ignores the international economic context - it does
not take into account imports of manufactured goods, or the
relocation of some countries manufacturing to less economically
developed countries.

10. Further Reading
‘Global Challenge’ McNaught & Witherick
‘Geography An Integrated Approach’ D.
Waugh

11. Questions:
The Model refers to four different employment structures can you
think of one country that may represent each part of the model
Primary sector………………………………………………………….
Secondary sector………………………………………………………
Tertiary sector………………………………………………………….
Quaternary Sector…………………………………………………….

12. The Model refers to four different employment structures can you
think of one country that may represent each part of the model
Primary sector……Kenya……………………………………………
Secondary sector………………………………………………………
Tertiary sector………………………………………………………….
Quaternary Sector…………………………………………………….

13. The Model refers to four different employment structures can you
think of one country that may represent each part of the model
Primary sector……Kenya……………………………………………
Secondary sector…Thailand…………………………………………
Tertiary sector………………………………………………………….
Quaternary Sector…………………………………………………….

14. The Model refers to four different employment structures can you
think of one country that may represent each part of the model
Primary sector……Kenya……………………………………………
Secondary sector…Thailand…………………………………………
Tertiary sector……S. Korea………………………………………….
Quaternary Sector…………………………………………………….

15. The Model refers to four different employment structures can you
think of one country that may represent each part of the model
Primary sector……Kenya……………………………………………
Secondary sector…Thailand…………………………………………
Tertiary sector……S. Korea………………………………………….
Quaternary Sector……UK or US…………………………………….

16. Extra Work
Read the two hand outs on Moodle entitled
Clark-Fisher and describe the processes at
work that have created the situations in both
cases.