Single products or services are products or services that are provided where the products or services perform basically the same functions. The products or services are similar in type excepting that they may be more or less sophisticated, eg a computer or some other piece of equipment that has more or fewer features; or, the product or service may be packaged or distributed differently. Examples are a hard cover and a paperback version of a book. In the services area the provision of health insurance (eg for various customer demographics and insurance terms or durations) is an example, or the services provided by a medical practitioner or an architect or entertainer or a music teacher, or a precious metals trader.
Some Government agencies are “Single Product” for example a Library if it is being evaluated as a single organisation.
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Related products or services are products or services that are interrelated through either horizontal or vertical integration of the organisation’s products or services. Examples are: a bank where products are all related to money, but different services related to money are provided, eg, foreign exchange dealing, provision of housing and business loans, and cheque account administration; or a hospital which provides a range of medical services, eg diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation, and counselling; or a university providing a range of educational courses (but a large multi-campus University with extensive units providing teaching, research, technology development, commercialisation and services provision for revenue is ‘Diversified product”).
Alternatively, an organisation that sells a material at several stages of its processing, eg crude oil, semi-refined oil products such as tar, and fully refined products such as petroleum.
In the case of a healthcare organisation this could include hospital facilities, and nursing homes, and possibly also pharmaceutical outlets. Another example is a manufacturer with retail outlets for its product. Most Departments and Agencies in a National or State Government are in this category of “Related Products”. Most Telcos are in the category “Related products”
An evaluation process for a complete Local Government council would use the Organisation parameters for the entire organisation, including Total Revenue / Budget, and “Diverse” products. Within this evaluation, positions in the Library Service would be at lower Impact and Breadth levels than if the Library was evaluated as a single organisation.
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Diversified products or services are products or services that are distinctly different in their type and use.
Examples: an organisation providing Mining, Shipping, Processing and transport services as well as Smelting/Processing, ingot and industrial product manufacturing,
A media organisation with newspapers, TV, and radio Divisions, and providing content creation as well as broadcast and printing
A manufacturing company which produces medical equipment as well as home appliances, and which offers both leasing and sales.
