Saturday 27 October 2012

Intent casting shifts balance of power (and Facebook dips a toe)

Back in 1980, Prof. Allan Schnaiberg wrote about a theory he'd developed called "The Treadmill of Production" which was in part used to explain the drastic changes in US production quantities and/or qualities after the second World War.  It suggested how advances in technology, driven mainly by producers seeking increased profits allowed them to invest in new technologies which further increased production which was necessarily then matched by an increase in consumption.  This created an ever growing cycle as more efficient production required further economic growth to offset unemployment created by the previous mechanisation.

At a simple level it suggested that it is not demand from the consumer that drives supply but rather supply that creates the desire for demand.  In the paper "Interrogating the treadmill of Production" it went on to discuss  the focus of the theory on the production side rather than consumption side and the fact that consumers can only consume what is produced saying:-

"Consumers may opt not to consume specific produced items.  But they are not empowered by market processes to determine how such items will and will not be produced."

Ignoring the environmental aspects of this (as the ToP theory was focused on how this impacted the environment), it's interesting how this power play between producers and consumers may be changing in the sense that consumers are increasingly being given control of production.

Traditionally there was no way to access consumer needs in any formal way and so producers would create mass-market products based on limited market research studies.  However, technology is changing that allows consumers to provide feedback on products that don't yet exist, create demand for new product ideas and even to create their own products.

The concept of "Intent Casting" is one way this is manifesting itselt, with consumers able to create and issue their own personal RFP for a product or service they want and for producers/suppliers to be able to respond to this.  The website AskForIt for example allows consumers to ask for anything and through social sharing, to gain support for this from others.  Another website called OffersByMe allows you to indicate what activity/service you want and how much you're prepared to pay for it - offers are then shown/sourced based on this request.

It is probably home services which is the biggest growth area for intent casting however with services like Thumbtack allowing the consumer to indicate the service they want (plumber / electrician / etc.) and to then receive quotes from local tradesmen for the request.

Facebook has recently extended into the area of intent casting by extending it's "Like It" button to include a "Want It" button.  This allows consumers to indicate products they want which are then added to collections.  They, or more importantly friends can then reviews these and click through to actually buy then.  While at the moment this is more of a wish list function, I suspect it won't be long before Facebook are mining these "wants" (or essentially consumer intents) to provide relevant offers from other service providers.

Intent casting for existing products and services is just the start of it though.

Crowdfunding website Kickstarter is opening up to UK projects at the end of this month, allowing anyone with an idea to sell it to consumers before they've even produced it.  In this model, intent casting actually starts to drive production as users on Kickstarter essentially help to bring the product to the market through demand (and donations).

Consumers can also now take a step back even further and become producers in their own right.

CreateSpace by Amazon is one of a number of companies that allows consumers to create their own books and to have these professionally printed on demand.  Website Ponoko takes this even further, allowing consumers to become producers with physical materials.  The user submits 2D and 3D designs and can then have these custom manufactured in over 80 different materials.  These products can then be listed and sold via the Ponoko website and custom manufactured on demand based on each individual order.

Brands such as Nike have also experimented in this area, allowing consumers to design their own trainers and have these uniquely produced.

Finally, new technologies are letting the consumers actually manufacture their own uniques goods on demand, in their home.

3D printers are now becoming commercialised to the extent that early adopter consumers can now purchase them, with brands like MakerBot and Cubify leading the charge.  The BBC recently reported how Disney Research is looking into how toys can be designed that can only be produced with a 3D printer due to their unique characteristics and controversial file-sharing website Pirate Bay is starting to host what it terms "Physibiles", or 3D printable designs.

It doesn't take much to see how all of these trends may ultimately come together, allowing the consumer to find products that don't yet exist and express a preference for them to direct what ultimately gets produced or is simply produced on-demand, whether by a 3rd party or at home.

This won't slow down the treadmill of production (and it's environmental impact), but it may change the economics and dynamics of it.  Given that "a key dimension of power is the ability to influence, if not dictate, the choices of those less powerful.", giving consumers more direct choice and the ability to state their intent is certainly a step forward.

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Writing and publishing a successful newsletter is perhaps the most competitive of all the different areas of mail order and direct marketing. You can still publish newsletter through regular mail. With Internet's help, you can publish your newsletter online. You can reach hundreds of subcribers without costing any postage - it is called eZine publishing.
newsletter design

Unknown said...


Email newsletters can play an important role in a company's email marketing strategy. If you are a new business or are a small company thinking about starting an email newsletter for your customers, read this article to learn more about the benefits of email newsletters.
marketing email newsletter

Anonymous said...

Allan Schnaiberg's theory (The Treadmill of Production) has a major flaw in its basic premise. "[Consumers are not empowered by market processes to determine how such items will or will not be produced."

He cannot when he is shopping of course,he can pick and choose from what is available at the time of purchase.

Fact is, though, consumer is king in the market, because the CONSUMER PICKS AND CHOOSE. The market is not a static process. A product that does not sell well, causes a decrease in its production. A producer that sees it's goods fly off the shelves will make more of them. Production always adjusts to demand in a truly free market.

That is how "the free market" finds the price point "sweet spot" where consumer expenditure and production costs find each other. That's why central planning and central banks do not help at all. They only centralize the market's blowback effect. Government-managed medicine forvexample, has multiplied costs to both consumers and body politic. The topmost scum of our decision facto national rulers know this, that is why they offloaded the worst effects to ten years out, but of course it started just two years on.

Now comes the Internet and the Information Explosion, with its side effect phenomena like communicationsome technology leaps, predicted thousands of years ago (Daniel 2:3-4,KJV Bible). Consumers are getting even more empowered to accelerate those market processes, and even made-to-order individualized production commences.

If only we could keep Keyesian economists at bay. A good understanding of economics begins and ends with "Austrian-school" economics.

Thank you for listening
Www.trutherator.wordpress.come

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing this wonderful post i am really impressed.Love to have it buy facebook likes

xumeiqing said...

201606701meiqing
michael kors outlet online
air jordan uk
coach outlet online
stephen curry shoes
michael kors handbags outlet
fitflops sale clearance
ray ban sunglasses
prada outlet store
yeezy boost 350 balck
timberland outlet
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton factory outlet
cheap oakley sunglasses
michael kors outlet clearance
michael kors outlet clearance
air jordans
oakley sunglasses
louis vuitton outlet
nike huarache white
asics outlet
valentino shoes
nike roshe run women
michael kors outlet online
bottega veneta handbags
lacoste shoes
cheap jordans
true religion
kate spade outlet
ralph lauren pas cher
pandora charms
jordan shoes
kate spade outlet
reebok pump
converse uk

Unknown said...

Hi
That was eye opening article
really fetched some good information

Thanks for post

Best seo training, learn with our seo experts digital marketing training in bangalore join today
seo training in bangalore

Padam raj said...

Hi,

I’m really impressed with your blog article, such great & useful knowledge you mentioned here

Email Marketing company :- Dasgoot is one of the leading providers of best professional email marketing, newsletter software and email marketing service in UK

Peter Floyd said...

You don't need any particular belief system to cause change to occur in your reality... all you need is the following example and some lateral thinking. You can cast any spell (or cause any change) using nothing more than the power of your mind.Read More

Unknown said...

salomon boots
pandora uk
supra shoes
nike outlet store
karen millen
longchamp uk
canada gooses outlet
mac cosmetics
watches for men
converse pas cher
2017.11.15chenlixiang

Black friday carseat deals said...

This is really great article. This article really impressed me through wonderful writing. So thanks for sharing such a awesome article. best underwater camera

Mark said...

A simple and easy to use selling platform that lets you create widgets out of your products that can then be purchased with simple one-click buttons. Through our partnership with FastSpring, customers who have demanding eCommerce requirements can leverage the strengths of both companies without sacrificing capabilities. The reason why unfortunately, is because (until now) there hasn't been an eCommerce platform built from the ground up (by people who make millions of dollars online) to maximize order size, order frequency, conversion rate and traffic. Selling online with your own ecommerce website has never been easier, faster, or more scaleable. Flagship ecommerce product, iUser.iUser is a high quality shopping cart and product delivery system specifically designed for merchants who sell instant software and eBook downloads.iUser is one of the most economical solutions of its kind available on the market.http://7figurecyclediscount.com/

Mark said...


This type of button allows your customers to purchase a product without having to add it to the cart. Fewer customers can be interacting with at a time because of less physical limitations. He was well aware that selling sarees online would be a mammoth task since women like to explore numerous options before choosing a favourite. Wix e-commerce plan is not cheap, they should be offering shipping system. The online shop needs to be able to process payments so people can actually buy from them online. Spams can be used to promote an e-commerce system like Cuckoo can use its own registered customer to list and send an adverts out in email to all the people on the list. Manage inventory, learn more about your sales through analytics and many other great features that will set you on a path of success in digital selling.
the7figurecyclereview.com

Unknown said...

qzz0510
barcelona jersey
nike factory outlet
true religion jeans
ferragamo outlet
polo outlet
michael kors outlet
christian louboutin outlet
ugg boots
kate spade outlet
coach outlet online

SSSSSS said...

hyperdunks
gucci belt
golden goose superstar
nike air max 90
kobe 11
kobe 9
moncler jackets
bape clothing
nike flyknit trainer
cheap oakley sunglasses

56 said...

0806jejeair jordan junior solde Arthritic air jordan 1 mid wb douleurs au bas du dos et les pieds sont l'un parmi nike basketball air zoom les problèmes les plus probablement les plus communs new balance cuir et daim dans le public américain. Nike a même basket new balance noir et fluo créé de nouveaux modèles de chaussures spécialement conçus pour Air Jordan 2 soldes les clips vidéo audio hip-hop qui ont nike roshe run porté été utilisés comme une sorte de produit ou de new balance femme moins cher service.

Mark said...


You need your income to come automatically so that you can use the precious little time you have to produce more streams of income that will pay you on autopilot. Most of the time you will find medical transcription jobs that pays you well. Telemarketers can make, on average, $16.08 per hour To find this sort of work, you can simply search through job sites such as Upwork , Glassdoor , Monster , Indeed or FlexJobs Type in telemarketing” or telemarketing” into the search box with your specific parameters. Consider testing websites from your home as a part-time side hustle. This is an ideal program for somebody like me who had no previous experience with structure and marketing a site.

I have remained in the internet marketing arena for over ten years. But there are always people who want to pay less for it too, which is part of getting started. If you have clothes, shoes or accessories you don't wear, considering selling them online. While top Instagrammers make thousands per post on the photo-sharing platform , even those with a smaller-but-engaged following of 1000 have the potential to start making money. No matter how many ways you decide how to make money online, you should still have a blog. Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform has given thousands of people a chance to become published authors and earn money It may also serve as a way to get noticed by more established and traditional publishers.https://www.reviewengin.com/parallel-profits-review/

Jenny Wijaya said...

agen cbet indonesia
agen cbet
cbet indonesia
cbet mobile
daftar cbet online
cbet judi online
cbet bola online
cbet hondablack
honda black cbet


http://www.scr888casino.net/

scr888

Jenny Wijaya said...

daftar scr888
kiss918 indonesia
daftar kiss918
dm.918kiss
daftar 918 kiss malaysia
m.scr88.com
918kiss
m.918kiss
daftar kis918 indonesia
daftar scr888 indonesia

Jenny Wijaya said...

osg777 download

http://www.daftarjoker123.asia/

joker123 live chat
live chat joker123
live chat osg777
osg777 live chat
livechat joker123
joker123
daftar joker123 slot online
slot online joker123
daftar game slot joker

DAFTAR AKUN SLOT JOKER123 said...

Permainan tembak ikan adalah permainan yang paling rame orang mainkan, apalagi jika pelayanannya yang sangat memuaskan bagi anda tentunya kalian pasti akan merasa sangat puas juga kan ?, bagi kalian yang sangat menyukai permainan tembak ikan bisa datang ke situs kami :)

APLIKASI JOKER123 APK

aplikasi joker123 apk versi terbaru

download aplikasi joker123 apk

daftar akun slot joker123


DAFTAR AKUN SLOT JOKER123

daftar akun joker123 slot

tembak ikan joker123

joker123 live casino


LOGIN JOKER388 SLOT


JOKER123 DEPOSIT PULSA


DOWNLOAD JOKER388 APK

joker388 download apk

aplikasi joker388 apk

daftar akun joker388

game tembak ikan joker123

daftar akun tembak ikan joker123


LINK ALTERNATIF JOKER123

link alternatif joker123 slot

daftar akun joker388

tembak ikan joker388

Fred Haris said...

Crypto Mojo is the one-stop destination for Crypto News basics, Crypto trading tips for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, price prediction, and Crypto Reviews.

Worthy Choice said...

Our human body produces more than 50 types of hormones which cater to different functions such as controlling our insulin levels, blood sugar levels, as well as controlling out metabolism. Because of its direct impact on our metabolism, hormones are considered to be one of the key factors which can make or break our weight.

Review Best Selling said...

This Article inspired me a lot. Thank You!!! Checkout our Link : Unlock Your Hip Flexors Reviews

william joe said...

Kids Love Bonus Offers - Pick a product category with a minimum of 1000 keywords and focus on a niche that does well in social media, where publishers in the area are affiliates on Amazon. If you can nab a few affiliate marketing opportunities, you won’t have to worry about shipping as much product, but you can still make a profit. Shopping online used to be a convenience and a luxury, now – it’s a necessity. The ecommerce businesses that I work with can’t keep enough products stocked. Ecommerce has been growing for a while, and the numbers below don’t account for the recent events leading to an increase in ecommerce sales. While Wix is best known for providing one of the simplest tools for code-free website building around, it also has a range of other features to offer depending on your specific needs.
You don’t need to store products in your garage to sell online. You can utilize fulfillment centers to handle the inventory for you. The ecommerce business model that attracts me the most is a single product category that you supplement with affiliate marketing. You can control the content marketing and branding on a focused product and focus the rest of your energy on driving sales by monetizing traffic.
Make sure that your domain name is short, easy to spell, easy to pronounce, and catchy enough to be remembered. We mentioned the search function as part of improving user-friendliness but we would like to mention it again because its importance is worth reiterating. The search function can dramatically set apart your site from that do not have it. It is essential for businesses of any nature to identify their target market.

https://www.reviewengin.com/category/bonus/