Final answer:
The tertiary sector is motivated by profit and provides essential services to consumers, playing a key role in the economic development of societies, especially as they evolve from primary and secondary sectors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sector that is primarily motivated by profit and provides goods and services to consumers is the tertiary sector. This sector is crucial for the development of societies and includes vital services such as child care, healthcare, and money management. It plays a significant role in non-agriculture wage and salary categories and is prevalent in service-providing industries. As economies evolve, especially in developed countries like the United States, Japan, and Western Europe, there is a clear shift from the primary sector (extractive industries like agriculture, mining, etc.) and secondary sector (manufacturing and processing raw materials into finished goods) to the tertiary and even quaternary sectors, which focus on knowledge-based services and innovation.
Technology advancements and globalization have further amplified the importance of the tertiary sector, making it a substantial employer and contributor to the economic growth. In contrast, underdeveloped countries may still have a higher percentage of their workforce in the primary sector. Nonetheless, for sustained economic development, the transition towards a robust tertiary sector is vital.