besoins

Besoin is the French term for a necessity or requirement. The plural 'besoins' refers to several gaps between an actual state and a desired one. A besoin can be physical, psychological, social, or economic, and may arise from biological needs, security, or personal goals. Needs can be objective, measured against welfare benchmarks, or subjective, shaped by culture, context, and experience. Perceived deprivation typically motivates actions to restore balance.

In economics and consumer behavior, besoins are contrasted with désirs (desires or wants). Besoins are viewed as fundamental or essential, while désirs describe preferences beyond survival. The concept underpins approaches in marketing, social policy, and development planning: products, services, and programs are designed to meet identified besoins. French usage often organizes besoins into categories—physiologiques, sécurité, appartenance, estime, actualisation—that roughly parallel Maslow's hierarchy, though cultural and situational differences are acknowledged.

In psychology, besoins are used to analyze motivation and growth. Maslow's hierarchy is widely cited in French texts; research highlights cultural variation and the fluidity of needs across life stages and contexts. Other frameworks distinguish basic, growth, and deficit needs, and stress that access to resources, social structures, and environment condition which needs arise and how they are satisfied.

In policy and public administration, needs assessment (évaluation des besoins) informs planning in health, housing, education, and development. Identifying unmet besoins supports targeted interventions, while debates persist about how to measure subjective needs, prioritize competing claims, and avoid bias in cross-cultural judgments about what people require to live with dignity.