EMPLOYMENT WITH THE BRAZILIAN SERVICE SEC TOR

The article investigates the role the service sector played in job cre ation in Brazil during the 1977-90. Special attention is focused on wh at are known as personal services (community services, repairs, food a nd lodging, cleaning, and household services), which are considered th e least attractive in terms of job quality. Firstly, results show that the proportion of the work force employed within the service sector w as similar to that employed by the manufacturing and civil constructio n sectors together. Secondly, the number of jobs in personal services grew in both absolute and relative terms, surpassing rates for the oth er two sectors, while in relation to other service sectors, personal s ervices displayed lower rates in both absolute and relative terms. Las tly, the personal services sector enjoyed systematic expansion within the urban labor market, while its participation within the service sec tor overall declined slightly.