Abstract
Our Study aims to examine, from a critical perspective, recent approaches to the definition of services, Studies that deal with the question of how to characterize services offer three types of response. The first approach developed by classical economists proposes to use technical criteria (immateriality, non-separability between consumption and production, non-storage, heterogeneity) as foundation for a specific definition of services. The second, which is today most widely cited definition, that of Peter Hill proposes an institutional or a relation-oriented definition which emphasizes service triangle. Finally, the work of Gadrey, which investigates the impact of new technologies on service activities, offers a new general definition of services that is compatible with the existence of several demand rationales.