Jobs to be Done (JTBD)
for Manufacture of refined petroleum products (ISIC 1920)
The JTBD framework is highly relevant for the 'Manufacture of refined petroleum products' industry, which is facing severe market obsolescence (MD01) and strong social/environmental pressures (CS06). By understanding the core 'jobs' that consumers and industries 'hire' petroleum products to do...
Strategic Overview
The 'Manufacture of refined petroleum products' industry is at a critical juncture, facing declining market demand and significant societal pressures to decarbonize (MD01, CS06). The Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework offers a powerful lens to navigate this transition by shifting focus from 'what products we sell' to 'what problems our customers are trying to solve.' This customer-centric approach helps refiners understand the fundamental functional, emotional, and social 'jobs' that refined products fulfill.
By deeply understanding these underlying jobs, the industry can identify novel ways to innovate, develop, and deliver solutions that may not necessarily involve fossil fuels but still meet the core customer need. For instance, the 'job' of rapid, long-distance mobility might eventually be 'hired' by sustainable aviation fuel, electric vehicles, or hydrogen, rather than traditional jet fuel or gasoline. This strategic shift is crucial for identifying new growth avenues, repurposing assets, and maintaining relevance in a rapidly evolving energy landscape, proactively addressing market obsolescence and asset stranding risks (MD01).
Applying JTBD enables refiners to move beyond incremental product improvements and embrace disruptive innovation. It informs decisions on R&D investment (IN05), new business model development, and strategic partnerships, ultimately guiding the industry towards a more sustainable and customer-value-driven future. It's particularly vital for an industry grappling with a declining core business and high structural toxicity (CS06), as it paves the way for market-aligned decarbonization efforts.
4 strategic insights for this industry
Reframing Core Business from Products to Solutions
The 'job' of transportation fuels isn't merely to provide energy, but to enable 'rapid, reliable, long-distance mobility' or 'on-demand power for heavy machinery.' Understanding this shifts focus from gasoline or diesel to solutions like Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), hydrogen fuel cells, or advanced electrification, opening pathways to new low-carbon offerings that fulfill the same core job.
Identifying Untapped Opportunities in Petrochemicals
For petrochemicals, the 'job' might be 'creating durable, lightweight, cost-effective materials for packaging' or 'enabling high-performance engineering applications.' JTBD can reveal opportunities to fulfill these jobs through bio-based plastics, advanced recycling technologies, or new material chemistries, addressing structural toxicity (CS06) and fostering circular economy models.
Uncovering 'Jobs' for Industrial Process Heat
Industrial customers 'hire' fuels like heavy fuel oil or natural gas for 'consistent, high-temperature process heat' or 'reliable energy for steam generation.' JTBD helps identify how these jobs can be met by lower-carbon alternatives such as industrial heat pumps, geothermal energy, or hydrogen combustion, enabling refiners to diversify their energy service offerings.
Leveraging Emotional and Social Jobs for Brand Repositioning
Beyond functional jobs, there are emotional and social jobs, such as 'feeling environmentally responsible' or 'contributing to a sustainable future.' Understanding these can help reposition a company's brand, improve its social license to operate (CS01), and attract ESG investment by offering products that satisfy both functional needs and societal values, mitigating reputational damage (CS01).
Prioritized actions for this industry
Conduct comprehensive 'Jobs to be Done' research with key customer segments (e.g., airlines, logistics companies, industrial manufacturers) to deeply understand their underlying functional, emotional, and social needs.
This research is foundational to identifying true innovation opportunities beyond current products. It reveals what customers *really* value and 'hire' products for, enabling refiners to pivot to new, relevant solutions (MD01, MD08).
Map existing product and service portfolios against identified 'jobs' to pinpoint where current offerings excel and where significant gaps or obsolescence risks exist, particularly for low-carbon alternatives.
This mapping will highlight areas where traditional refined products are becoming irrelevant (MD01) and where new, sustainable solutions are urgently needed. It guides resource allocation for R&D (IN05) and investment.
Develop and pilot new low-carbon solutions and business models specifically designed to fulfill identified 'jobs' more effectively and sustainably than traditional petroleum products.
This recommendation directly translates JTBD insights into actionable product and service development, such as creating 'Sustainable Mobility-as-a-Service' packages using SAF or hydrogen, instead of just selling fuel. This addresses CS06 and MD01.
Reposition marketing and communication strategies to emphasize the 'jobs' fulfilled by new sustainable offerings, rather than solely focusing on product features, to resonate with evolving customer and societal values.
Communicating value in terms of 'jobs done' helps overcome cultural friction (CS01) and shifts perception towards the company as a provider of sustainable solutions, attracting new customer segments and improving brand perception. It helps manage 'Social Activism & De-platforming Risk' (CS03).
From quick wins to long-term transformation
- Conduct internal workshops to introduce the JTBD concept and reframe thinking around existing products and customer interactions.
- Perform rapid qualitative JTBD interviews with a diverse set of 5-10 key customers or end-users in a specific segment (e.g., commercial airlines).
- Map 1-2 core refined products (e.g., jet fuel, polyethylene) to their fundamental functional, emotional, and social 'jobs'.
- Integrate JTBD insights into early-stage R&D and innovation pipeline development for low-carbon solutions.
- Develop initial concepts or prototypes for new 'job-fulfilling' sustainable products or services (e.g., a sustainable fuel as a service offering).
- Refine customer segmentation based on 'jobs to be done' rather than traditional demographic or industry classifications.
- Begin strategic partnerships with technology providers or complementary service companies to fulfill identified jobs.
- Restructure business units or product development teams around specific 'jobs to be done' rather than commodity product lines.
- Achieve a significant portion of revenue from new sustainable 'job-fulfilling' solutions.
- Establish a continuous JTBD research program to monitor evolving customer needs and market dynamics.
- Transform corporate identity and brand messaging to reflect the shift from a 'product provider' to a 'solution enabler' for fundamental jobs.
- Confusing 'wants' or 'solutions' with true 'jobs to be done' (e.g., 'I want a Tesla' vs. 'I need to feel sustainable and have reliable transport').
- Lack of organizational buy-in for a fundamental shift in customer understanding, leading to superficial application.
- Inability to translate JTBD insights into viable, scalable, and profitable new products or services due to capital constraints (IN05) or technological barriers.
- Underestimating the complexity of changing existing infrastructure and supply chains to deliver new job-fulfilling solutions.
- Focusing too heavily on functional jobs and neglecting the powerful emotional and social 'jobs' that influence purchasing decisions.
Measuring strategic progress
| Metric | Description | Target Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Number of New Low-Carbon 'Job-Fulfilling' Solutions | Count of new sustainable products or services launched that address specific identified customer 'jobs'. | Launch 3 new solutions by 2028. |
| Revenue from New 'Job-Fulfilling' Solutions | Percentage of total revenue generated from products/services designed to meet newly identified 'jobs' or low-carbon alternatives. | Achieve 15% of revenue from new solutions by 2030. |
| Customer Satisfaction for New Solutions | Customer satisfaction scores (e.g., NPS) specifically for newly launched job-fulfilling sustainable offerings. | Maintain NPS >50 for new offerings. |
| R&D Investment Aligned to 'Jobs' | Percentage of R&D budget allocated to projects directly addressing identified customer 'jobs' with sustainable solutions. | Allocate >60% of R&D to job-aligned projects by 2027. |
| Carbon Footprint Reduction per 'Job' Delivered | Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with delivering a specific customer 'job' (e.g., per mile flown, per unit of material produced). | Reduce carbon footprint per job by 25% by 2030. |
Other strategy analyses for Manufacture of refined petroleum products
Also see: Jobs to be Done (JTBD) Framework