Alitarjontaan

Alitarjontaan is a Finnish term used mainly in economics and public procurement to describe a market condition in which the supply of offers, goods, or tender bids is lower than demand. The word is formed from ali- (under, sub) and tarjonta (supply, offers); in grammatical usage it appears in the illative case as alitarjontaan to denote moving into or experiencing that state.

Context and usage: In market discussions, alitarjontaan signals undersupply of competition in a bidding process or in a particular product category. It can occur when few suppliers participate in a tender, when potential bidders fail to meet criteria, or when capacity limits constrain the number of offered alternatives. The concept is commonly contrasted with kysyntä (demand) and with ylikitarjonta (oversupply).

Implications: Prolonged or severe alitarjontaan can reduce price competition, lead to higher costs, slower delivery, or reduced choice for buyers. Policymakers and procurement officials may respond by adjusting tender requirements, lowering entry barriers, expanding the pool of eligible bidders, or providing alternative procurement channels to stimulate competition and supply.

Examples and note: The term is most often used in Finnish-language economic and public procurement literature rather than in everyday market talk. See also kysyntä ja tarjonta, ylikitarjonta.