Organizational Development: A Manual for Managers and ... - FPDL

ecognized yet - others may be recognized, but the possibility to satisfy them is not linked in the
potential users’ mind with products that the organization proposes. The space of needed products
is always wider than the space of demanded products. For needs to turn into demand some
significant conditions should be meet – possible users must understand their needs and recognize
the priority of these needs; they must know that certain products or services exist to meet these
needs, and that a specific organization is ready to serve them by providing this product.
For example, a training organization may be able to prepare a certain range of training courses
(possible products), and come up with a certain program that includes some of these possible
courses (actual products). And, some courses are in demand in the market (demanded products),
and what is in demand somehow corresponds to what can actually be useful for potential clients
(needed product).
The sales and consumption of a product takes place only when characteristics of an actually
offered product overlap with the characteristics of a demanded product. It could take place in a
much wider space – where the characteristics of possible products overlap the characteristics of
needed products. This gap creates fertile space for product development, or development of
product delivery systems.
5
Capabilities
Needs
Offer
4
Demand
3
1
2
6
5
7
Future needs
Picture 22. Topology of ‘product spaces’
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