Demand, Not Supply

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The Netflix-freaks among us have come to trust its recommendation engine, which magically suggests movies based on one's prior rental and review patterns. The company has a standing $1M offer for anyone who can improve the precision of its algorithm by 10%. 25,000 entrants have been battling it out for several months; the leader board includes teams from AT&T and the University of Toronto. It now also includes a mystery Brit flying solo: retired management consultant and psychologist Gavin Potter, who single-handedly has worked his way into the top five.

When asked about why he entered, Potter remarked, The 20th century was about sorting out supply, the 21st is going to be about sorting out demand.

A wired world and ever-improving access to information and price leads to a world where managing and shaping demand is key for business. How much of a stretch is it for IT leaders to be thinking the same way about a world where outsourcing, utility computing, and web applications can make the traditional considerations (and constraints) of supply less relevant?


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