Arnold, Rolf; Lermen, Markus: The systematic of the need: „It is actually about something quite different“
For professionals in the departments of adult education the question of the different starting points, strategies and methods of needs analysis, respectively of making information on needs accessible, has an important role on the way into a market orientated adult education. The question of need sometimes grows into a meaning of large dimension, which makes the impression that this emphasis is based on something else – something of a sybolical meaning. We think that there is much to be said for “need” respectively “need orientation” not being basic categories because one can say something about it with numbered precision and “forced” deduction but rather because of the dissemination and nurturing of the illusion that is is possible to secure one’s practice in adult education and educational budget legitimatory and join the concert of the other protagonists in the hierarchic organisation – at least transitorily. The present article traces this systematic of the need in the way that the question is discussed which instances co-operate in which manner, respectively can be called in. At the same time the functions as well as the institutional power of a systematic needs analysis must be discussed.
