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Types of Demand – Direct, Derived, Joint & Composite

In Business Economics, understanding different types of demand helps managers take better pricing, production and advertising decisions.

1. Direct (Autonomous) Demand

Direct demand is the demand for goods and services that directly satisfy human wants.

Examples:

  • Food, clothes, housing
  • Mobile phones, laptops
  • Cinema tickets, vacation packages

Characteristics:

  • Demand arises from final consumption.
  • These are usually consumer goods.
Exam Tip
If the good itself directly satisfies a want (like food or clothing), it is usually an example of direct demand.

2. Indirect or Derived Demand

Derived demand is the demand for a good or factor of production because of the demand for another related good.

It does not directly satisfy wants, but is required for producing something else.

Examples:

  • Demand for steel derived from demand for cars, buildings.
  • Demand for labour derived from demand for goods and services.
  • Demand for cement, bricks derived from demand for houses.
Key Concept – Derived Demand
When demand for one good (input) arises because of demand for another good (output), it is called derived demand.

3. Joint (Complementary) Demand

Joint demand exists when two or more goods are demanded together to satisfy a single want.

These goods are complements.

Examples:

  • Car and petrol/diesel
  • Printer and ink cartridges
  • Tea and sugar/milk

Features:

  • Use of one good requires the use of another.
  • Fall in demand for one → fall in demand for the other.

4. Composite Demand

Composite demand refers to demand for a commodity which has multiple uses.

Examples:

  • Electricity – used for lighting, heating, industry, transport.
  • Coal – used for power generation, steel industry, domestic fuel.
  • Milk – used for drinking, curd, sweets, ice cream.

If demand for one use increases, less is available for other uses.

Exam Tip
If a good can be used for many different purposes, it is usually given as an example of composite demand.

5. Comparison at a Glance

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6. Importance in Business Decisions

  • Pricing & Promotion: For complementary goods (joint demand), firms may reduce price of one to increase demand for the other.
  • Capacity Planning: For derived and composite demand, firms must forecast final demand carefully.
  • Policy Decisions: Government analyses composite demand for scarce resources (electricity, water) to allocate efficiently.

7. Quick Revision Points

  • Direct demand: for final goods that directly satisfy wants.
  • Derived demand: for inputs because of demand for final goods.
  • Joint demand: two or more goods demanded together.
  • Composite demand: one good used for many purposes.
  • These concepts are frequently asked in short notes and 3–5 mark questions.

8. Quiz Time 🎯

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