Commercial white papers Since the early 1990s, the term white paper has also come to refer to documents used by businesses and so-called think tanks as marketing or sales tools. White papers of this sort argue that the benefits of a particular technology, product or policy are superior for solving a specific problem.
These types of white papers are almost always marketing communications documents designed to promote a specific company's or group's solutions or products. As a marketing tool, these papers will highlight information favorable to the company authorizing or sponsoring the paper. Such white papers are often used to generate sales leads, establish thought leadership, make a business case, or to educate customers or voters.
There are four main types of commercial white papers:
Business benefits: Makes a business case for a certain technology or methodology.
Technical: Describes how a certain technology works.
Hybrid: Combines business benefits with technical details in a single document.
Policy: Makes a case for a certain political solution to a societal or economic challenge.