Competitive Intelligence

by West, Chris

• ISBN13: 9780333786697
• ISBN10: 0333786696
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-12-07
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

In competitive markets the quality of the competitive strategy is now as important as the customer strategy in determining customer performance. All strategies require information and competitive strategies are no exception. As a result there is an existing and growing requirement for competitive intelligence. This book shows how to collect and analyze competitive intelligence, including the use of electronic resources, as part of a competitive strategy.

Author Biography

Chris West is Managing Director of Marketing Intelligence Services.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Competition	1	(11)
Virtual Monopolies	3	(1)
Definition of Competition	4	(1)
Where Do Companies Compete?	5	(1)
Marketing and Competitive Strategies	6	(3)
The Competitive Environment	9	(1)
Mechanisms By Which Companies Complete	10	(1)
Scale	10	(2)
Intelligence	12	(12)
The Applications for Intelligence	13	(1)
Companies to Watch	14	(3)
Narrowing the Field	17	(1)
Alternative Applications for Intelligence-Gathering Techniques	18	(3)
Alternative Routes to Intelligence	21	(3)
The Development of Competitive Intelligence	24	(9)
The Development of Competitive Intelligence as a Formal Activity	25	(3)
Factors Influencing the Growth of Competitive Intelligence	28	(3)
Factors Inhibiting the Growth of Competitive Intelligence	31	(2)
Framework for Competitive Analysis	33	(17)
Mapping the Competitive Landscape	34	(4)
Drivers of Behaviour and Change	38	(4)
Types of Intelligence	42	(2)
Key Intelligence Topics	44	(1)
Format for Collecting and Presenting Intelligence	45	(3)
The Time Dimension	48	(2)
Overview of the Sources of Intelligence	50	(6)
Primary and Secondary Sources	50	(2)
Determinants of Methods Used	52	(4)
Secondary Sources of Intelligence	56	(18)
Internal Intelligence Sources	56	(3)
External Secondary Sources	59	(12)
Locating External Secondary Intelligence	71	(3)
Intelligence on the Internet	74	(12)
Search Engines and Web Crawlers	75	(1)
Intelligence Content of the Web	76	(7)
Short Cuts	83	(1)
Discussion Forums	83	(1)
Newsgroups (or Bulletin Boards)	84	(1)
Monitoring the Internet	84	(2)
Primary Intelligence Collection Techniques	86	(23)
Internal Primary Sources	86	(6)
External Primary Intelligence	92	(7)
Obtaining Intelligence Directly from Competitors	99	(9)
The Demise of Primary Intelligence?	108	(1)
Market Research as a Source of Competitive Intelligence	109	(6)
Market Research and Competitive Intelligence	109	(1)
Customers as a Source of Intelligence	110	(1)
Surveying Markets for Intelligence	111	(4)
Analysis--Filling the Gaps and Stretching the Data	115	(8)
Filling the Gaps in an Incomplete Picture	117	(1)
Extending the Level of Understanding	118	(3)
Environmental Analysis	121	(2)
Verifying Intelligence	123	(7)
Verification of Published Intelligence	123	(4)
Verification of Primary Intelligence	127	(2)
Sanity Checks	129	(1)
Competitive Intelligence Resources	130	(17)
In-House Resources or External Agencies	130	(2)
The Internal Competitive Intelligence Organisation	132	(2)
Competitive Intelligence Staff	134	(1)
Identifying Potential External Suppliers	135	(2)
Assessing the Suitability of Competitive Intelligence Agencies	137	(4)
Compiling a Shortlist	141	(1)
Approved Research Contractors	142	(1)
The Proposal	142	(1)
Assessing Alternative Offers	143	(2)
Presentation of Proposals	145	(1)
Negotiations	145	(2)
The Intelligence Briefing	147	(8)
The Briefing Document	147	(6)
The Briefing Meeting	153	(2)
Controlling the Intelligence Collection Process	155	(5)
Project Briefing or `Kick Off' Meeting	156	(2)
Review of Discussion Guides	158	(1)
Progress Reports	158	(1)
Reviews of the Information Yield	158	(1)
Final Review of Findings	159	(1)
Legal Factors and Ethical Guidelines	160	(10)
Criminal Law	161	(1)
Copyright Law	162	(1)
Competition and Antitrust Legislation	162	(1)
The Economic Espionage Act	162	(1)
Data Protection Legislation	163	(1)
Codes of Ethics	164	(1)
Non-Disclosure	165	(1)
Conflicts of Interest	166	(1)
Market Research and Competitive Intelligence Ethics	166	(2)
Deliverables	168	(1)
Sanctions	168	(1)
Regional Variations	169	(1)
Processing and Distributing Intelligence	170	(10)
Written Reports	171	(1)
Meetings and Other Forums	171	(1)
E-mail	172	(1)
Corporate Intranets	172	(1)
Management Information Systems	173	(2)
Knowledge Management Systems	175	(2)
Tailored Competitive Intelligence Systems	177	(1)
Access to Competitive Intelligence	178	(2)
Measuring the Effectiveness of Competitive Intelligence	180	(4)
Quality of Intelligence Provided	180	(1)
Use Being Made of Competitive Intelligence	181	(1)
Development of an Intelligence Culture	182	(1)
Event Analysis	182	(1)
Market Share	183	(1)
Counter-Intelligence	184	(31)
The Structure of Counter-Intelligence Activity	186	(1)
Assigning Responsibility for Counter-Intelligence Programmes	187	(3)
Identifying the Potential Sources of Threat	190	(2)
Identifying the Means By Which Intelligence is Being Sought	192	(2)
Identifying and Assessing the Vulnerabilities	194	(6)
Categorise Information	200	(2)
Reducing the Chances of Intelligence Being Obtained	202	(9)
Testing the System	211	(1)
Monitoring the Threat	211	(1)
Publicise Willingness to take Legal Action	212	(1)
Implementation	212	(3)
Deception and Misinformation	215	(7)
Intelligence Held on the Company	216	(1)
Channels of Communication	217	(1)
Internal Sources of Information	217	(1)
Types of Deception	218	(2)
Ethical Considerations	220	(1)
Propaganda	221	(1)
Appendix: The Competitive Intelligence Checklist	222	(7)
Further Reading	229	(2)
Index	231