Combining information about the volume of thought leadership produced and the extent to which it has been applied to a particular industry provides an indication of how mature a topic is. Maturity in turn tells us how competitive the area is and whether it makes sense for a consulting firm to invest in it.

White Space divides markets into four categories. An emerging market is one where only a small amount of thought leadership material has been produced, virtually none of which is sector-specific. Where more, but still largely generic, material is being generated, the market is defined as growing. A maturing market differs from a growing one in that most material is now being applied to a specific sector. Finally, a saturating market is one where most material is applied, but the quantity of material produced is low.

By and large, management ideas (and consulting services) begin life in a generic form. With no record to refer to, both clients and consultants are uncertain where they might be best used. However, as an idea gains credibility and is adopted more widely, its strengths and weaknesses in relation to particular sectors become apparent. Thus, the more mature an idea (or consulting service), the more likely it is that thought leadership on the subject will be applied to a specific industry.