Excellence in Financial Management

Course 12: Competitive

Intelligence (Part
(Part 2 of 2)
Prepared by: Matt H. Evans, CPA, CMA, CFM

This course provides more in-depth coverage about

competitive intelligence specific techniques and models
used as well as CI Systems. Before taking this course, you
should complete Part 1 of this course. This course is
recommended for 2 hours of Continuing Professional
Education. In order to receive credit, you will need to pass
a multiple-choice exam which you can take over the
internet at www.exinfm.com/training/course12-2

Chapter

Critical Concepts
Before we get into Part 2 of this short course, lets touch on the fundamentals behind
competitive intelligence. From Part 1 of this course, we learned that competitive
intelligence relies on a very analytical process to transform data and information into
intelligence. We also understand that competitive intelligence is not just about studying
the competition, but studying the entire external landscape - customers, suppliers,
regulators, and all forces that impact the organization. Therefore, our analysis must be
very broad in scope.
The primary output from competitive intelligence is the ability to make forward-looking
decisions. For example, Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric determined
strategy based on key intelligence questions:
-

What is the detailed global position of your business and that of your competitors:
market shares, strengths by product line, and by region today?
What actions have your competitors taken in the past two years that have
changed the competitive landscape?
What are you most afraid your competitors might do in the next two years to
change the landscape?
If the defining goal of modern day business can be isolated to just one item,
it would be the search for competitive advantage. And, as everyone in
business knows, its a lot harder than it used to be. On the one hand,
competition is more intense than ever technological innovation, consumer
expectations, government deregulation all combine to create more
opportunities for new competitors to change the basic rules of the game.
- Competing by Design: The Power of Organizational Architecture by David A.
Nadler and Michael L. Tushman with Mark B. Nadler

Therefore, competitive intelligence drives strategic decision-making and market

leadership. Part 1 of this short course also emphasized several important points about
competitive intelligence, such as the following:

Human intelligence is often more valuable than simply collecting published

information. This is a more direct approach to information analysis.
One of the fastest ways to learn about your competitors and their products is to
attend an industry trade show.
Since competitive intelligence is externally driven, it can be invaluable for risk
management. Risk management functions are internally focused and in need of
external analysis that comes from competitive intelligence.
Competitive intelligence is not complete unless you engage in Counter
Intelligence. You need to protect your company against intelligence leaks that
benefit the competition.

One of the big drivers behind competitive intelligence is the use of analytical models. We
touched on a few of these models in Part 1 Porters Five Forces Model, Scenario
Analysis and War Games. However, there are over 100 analytical models and each CI
Project may require one or more specific analytical approaches. So we need a better
understanding of analytical models. Part 2 of this short course (which you are about to
study) will outline several analytical models and how to apply them.

Key Point Perception over Precision

Competitive Intelligence is more concerned with
understanding the big picture and having the right perception
of the marketplace. Competitive intelligence is not preoccupied with exact precision since we are trying to gain
insights into the major forces impacting our company
through various analytical models.

Key Intelligence Topics

The basic starting point for competitive intelligence is to define the problem or issue.
Everything else feeds from a Key Intelligence Topic or KIT. KITs direct and guide much
of your analysis. Likewise, your analysis could lead to some KITs that management has
not raised. However, the big driver behind your KITs should be a dialogue between the
CI Professional and management. Competitive intelligence should be a value-added
service to managers who are facing critical strategic decisions. Here are a few examples
of Key Intelligence Topics:
-

What impact will nanotechnology have on our high volume product line?
How is our competitor able to retain major government contracts year after year
when these contracts come open for bid?
What is the timeline for when our competitor will launch their new Asian
services?
Should we expand our Texas facility or build a new facility in Ohio?
Who are the key customers of our competitor?
How does this new regulation impact our business?
How well does this supplier perform with other companies?

These key intelligence topics provide the baseline for our research and analysis. To
keep the KIT process flowing, CI (Competitive Intelligence) Professionals should
aggressively seek out the specific intelligence needs of Managers. This is very important
for a number of reasons:
1. Provides focus for the overall CI Program within your company.
2. Gives you insights into what resources you need critical skills, external sources
of information, etc.
3. Allows you to categorize intelligence requirements so you can plan and organize
the CI Program.
4. Reduces duplicative efforts since KITs may overlap and compliment one
another.

This pro-active approach to CI will require regular meetings and surveys to assess the
needs of your users. You should also include a satisfaction evaluation finding out how
you can improve competitive intelligence for your intelligence customers. Additionally, it
is a good idea to sell competitive intelligence to your customer base. Most managers
will not understand the benefits of competitive intelligence. Therefore, some form of
training can help solidify a partnership between providers of competitive intelligence and
the users of competitive intelligence. For example, CI Professionals can help identify the
most likely moves of key competitors. This kind of information is valuable to those
engaged in strategic planning. Even a simple alert service can help things like new
technology, changes in government regulations and sudden moves by competitors.
Competitiveness is based on knowledge. The way companies acquire
knowledge from their markets and apply it will determine their ability to
survive into the 21st century. The competitive learning process is more
essential to survival and growth than any other management process.
- Business Blindspots by Benjamin Gilad

Managing the CI Results

Now that we understand the start of the process, namely the importance of defining a
Key Intelligence Topic, we will shift our focus to the end of the process, reporting
competitive intelligence to end-users. Its worth noting that as we reach the end of the CI
Process, we should spend a lot of time on communication and feedback. For example,
many CI Analyst tend to spend most of their time on the upfront part of the CI Life Cycle;
namely research and analysis. However, the most effective forms of CI tend to spend
almost one-third of their life cycles engaged in communication and feedback with the
users of CI. This is important since CI results tend to unfold as you work your way
through the process and regular communication will help redirect the CI Project so that
the final results deliver exactly what the user really needs. Even simple forms of regular
communication are important, such as unexpected delays, inability to meet due dates,
and other updates for the CI end-user.
Another important point concerns knowing the end-user. Is the consumer of the CI
analytical or is he or she a rapid decision maker with little time for analysis? If the CI
Project will be used to make a quick decision, then you should report your
recommendations in a very clear, concise, and specific manner. On the other hand if the
results will be used for evaluating a major decision, then you should include some
alternatives in your recommendation. The key point here is to meet the expectations of
the decision maker. And one size does not fit all different people make decisions in
different ways and good CI recognizes this.
It is important to focus on the meaningful findings behind all of your hard work as
opposed to reiterating all of the information that went into your findings. If users need
more information, you can always list your various sources along with references and
citations. It is also important to include information about how you arrived at your

conclusions. CI users are fairly savvy and analytical, often making inquiries to validate
your approach to solving the key intelligence issue. So make sure you describe your
analytical approaches, your sources, and certain assumptions that have been made in
arriving at your recommendations.
Finally, here are a few points identified by Fuld and Company, a leading consulting firm
in the field of competitive intelligence:

State the facts with little or no dramatization.

Support your statements with sources, including transcripts from critical
interviews.
Avoid flashpoint type words and phrases, such as we will dominate the market
or lock-out all our competitors. This could be used in an anti-trust lawsuit.

The remainder of this short course will focus on the tools and techniques that are at the
core of competitive intelligence after the KIT, but before the CI Report.
Strategic intelligence is analytical. It is about what is possible, not what has
been. A good strategic intelligence report takes a point of view. It argues,
defends, convinces. Doing so effectively requires that data and facts be
marshaled in support of analytical conclusions. These conclusions come from
one place and one place only your gray matter. If you are hesitant to commit
to writing your own commentary, explanation and predictions, seek work
elsewhere.
- Strategic Intelligence: An Oxymoron by Ken Sawka, Competitive Intelligence
Magazine, Volume 7, No. 1

Chapter

Analytical Models
The tools of the trade for competitive intelligence are analytical models. As a minimum, a
good CI Professional should be proficient in at least eight to ten analytical models to
cover the competitive intelligence universe. Additionally, we need to recognize that each
issue or KIT (Key Intelligence Topic) will require a different set of analytical models.
Therefore, you must have a broad range of analytical approaches at your disposal if you
expect to be effective as a CI Professional.
Once we match up the KIT to the appropriate analytical model, we can then collect
information to feed our analysis. If you start collecting information before knowing which
analytical model to use, you tend to waste time collecting the wrong types of information
for your analysis. So make sure you understand your approach (use of analytical
models) before collecting information.

But managing change also means anticipating it. By anticipation, we mean

gaining insight into what is likely to occur and then positioning for that
future. Anticipation means looking ahead to the needs of the global market
and then lining up ahead of time the right resources, such as venture partners,
cross-cultural employees, and sophisticated currency trading skills. Or it
could mean forseeing the emergence of a new customer segment and
developing the market channels to compete in it. Like reaction, anticipation is
still defensive in that forces from outside of the firm, such as customers and
competitors, are calling the shots. Anticipation, however, creates new
opportunities and so is a better way to change.
Competing on the Edge: Strategy as Structured Chaos by Shona L. Brown

and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt

Product Life Cycles

The type of research you apply in competitive intelligence can be influenced by where
you stand within the product life cycle. When new products are under development and
not yet marketed, competitive intelligence will focus on the marketplace. Once the
product is introduced and placed into the market, competitive intelligence will shift more
emphasis on the customer. As the product gains market attention, the emphasis shifts to
the competition. We can illustrate this cycle as follows:

Product Life Cycle

$100
$80
$60
$40
$20
$0

Customer
Intelligence
Market
Intelligence
Competitor
Intelligence

Life Cycle (years)

SWOT Analysis
If I had to point to one analytical model that is the most popular, it would be SWOT or
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. However, therein lies the problem
we should not always reach for the SWOT Model each time we have a Key Intelligence
Topic (KIT). SWOT Analysis is useful when you need to understand your own
competitive advantages in relation to the marketplace. However, if the KIT is related to
your industry, then Porters Five Forces Model may be better. Or perhaps you need to
understand the position of a competitor. In this case, Porters Four Corners Analysis may
be more appropriate. If we look at evolutionary issues in the marketplace, product life
cycle analysis would be appropriate. If you need to profile the competitors management,
then psychological profiling may work. Therefore, it is very important to understand
which analytical models are appropriate for different KITs. So dont get addicted to
SWOT every time you are confronted with a KIT.
Another problem with SWOT Analysis - It can be too inward, detached from the realities
that are impacting the organization. For example, when you interview senior managers,
they tend to list numerous strengths, a few weaknesses, several opportunities for
growth, and a modest number of threats. It is a lot better to work through SWOT by
starting with the external forces and working down to the internal questions:
Question 1 (Threats): What events or things could destroy your business? This gets
management externally focused and grounded in reality.
Question 2 (Weaknesses): What things are we doing poorly?
Question 3 (Opportunities): What things should we be doing?
Question 4 (Strengths): What are our core competencies? This is the foundation from
which you can compete and grow the organization.
If you are trying to determine the core competencies of an organization, then SWOT
Analysis is very appropriate. SWOT Analysis also has certain advantages:

Easily understood by all participants

Relatively fast compared to other analytical approaches
Improves focus on what the organization needs to do

Can be applied to many situations and intelligence issues

Can uncover important issues not being addressed

When doing SWOT, you will move through distinct phases by asking key questions:
1. Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats by asking: What
things are we good at, what things are we not good at, what things might we do,
and what things should we not do?
2. Get consensus and rank your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
3. Analyze against internal and external factors. For example, most organizations
have limited capabilities and core competencies. Therefore, you need to matchup the four SWOTs Strengths against Opportunities, Strengths against
Threats, Weaknesses against Opportunities, and Weaknesses against Threats.
4. Draft a strategic plan for management consideration.
Internal Assessment (1)
Strengths
Weaknesses
1. ______________________
1. ______________________
2. ______________________
2. ______________________
3. ______________________
3. ______________________
4. ______________________
4. ______________________
5. ______________________
5. ______________________
External Assessment (2)
Opportunities
Threats
1. ______________________
1. ______________________
2. ______________________
2. ______________________
3. ______________________
3. ______________________
4. ______________________
4. ______________________
5. ______________________
5. ______________________
(1) Internal assessment looks at the organization, its people, capital structure,
assets, market share, core competencies, product lines, manufacturing
capability, and other internal factors.
(2) External assessment looks at both direct forces, such as competitors, suppliers,
Customers as well as indirect forces, such as economic, political, and social.

Porters Five Forces Model

When it comes to understanding an industry, Porters Five Forces Model is widely
regarded as the best analytical model. Part 1 of this short course touched on the basics,
but since this is such a popular model, it warrants more attention. As noted in Part 1 of
this short course, an industry consists of five competitive forces:
1. Threat of New Entrants An industry with low barriers of entry will invariably
have intense competition as opposed to an industry with major barriers of entry.
For example, professional consulting is an industry with few barriers of entry.
This leads to very serious competition, which in turn puts pressure on lower
pricing and higher quality. Starting a pharmaceutical company is not so easy and

the players are well-defined. Profit margins tend to be higher for an industry with
high barriers of entry. Barriers of entry can include:
a. High capital investments, such as a micro-processing manufacturing
facility.
b. Deep Rooted Brand Appeal, such as Coke Cola.
c. Strong Government Regulation, such as nuclear energy.
d. Switching Costs, such as scraping a major defense program for a new
program.
2. Power of Suppliers Basic inputs for a product or service are subject to control
by suppliers, such as control over prices or availability. Suppliers tend to have
strong influence within an industry when:
a. Few Suppliers Only a small number of suppliers service the industry
and there are no real substitutes for what they provide.
b. Acting Together Suppliers sometimes act as one large monopoly,
setting prices, quality, and supply. For example, OPEC governs the
supply and pricing of crude oil.
c. Socialism In certain countries, prices and supply may be under serious
government control.
3. Power of Buyers Customers (including distributors and other types of buyers)
often influence what happens within an industry. For example, customers often
dictate pricing and they demand certain levels of quality. The power of buyers or
customers depends on several factors:
a. Product Uniqueness A unique product or fad usually negates the power
of customers since they are willing to pay high prices to just to obtain the
product. On the other hand, a common product, such as toilet paper, is
not very unique. Customers will tend to have a lot more influence.
b. Few Customers If you service a few customers or one customer
accounts for most of your business, then this customer will have a lot of
influence.
c. Informed Buyer Comparative information that is readily available will
tend to empower buyers and give them more influence. The absence of
information about the industrys products and services will reduce the
buyers influence.
d. Easy Crossover More choices will increase the power of buyers
whereas few options will limit a buyers influence.
4. Substitute Products New or emerging substitutes for a product will change
competitive forces. This can be influenced by things such as the costs and
profitability of the substitute product, how easy it is to crossover to the substitute
product, and how well does the substitute product perform relative to the existing
product.
5. Rivalry and Intensity Companies will jockey and maneuver to gain a
competitive foothold within an industry. For example, airline companies may try
to undercut their competition through lower airfares. This competitive rivalry may
decline when times are good and everyone can grow. Competitive rivalry usually
remains high for common products where switching takes place.

Its worth noting that as one of the five forces change, it will impact the other forces.
So understanding the relationship of the five forces is as important as understanding
the force itself. One way to simplify this is to assign weights to each force. Higher
weights are assigned to those forces that have more influence.
Entry Barriers
Economies of scale
Proprietary product differences
Brand identity
Switching costs
Capital requirements
Access to distribution
Absolute cost advantages
Proprietary learning curve
Access to necessary inputs
Proprietary low-cost product design
Government policy
Expected retaliation

New Entrants

Threat of
New Entrants

Industry
Competitors

Bargaining Power
of Suppliers

Rivalry Determinants
Industry growth
Fixed (or storage) costs / value added
Intermittent overcapacity
Product differences
Brand identity
Switching costs
Concentration and balance
Informational complexity
Diversity of competitors
Corporate stakes
Exit barriers

Bargaining Power
of Buyers

Suppliers

Buyers
Intensity
of Rivalry

Determinants of Supplier Power

Differentiation of inputs
Switching costs of suppliers and firms in the industry
Presence of substitute inputs
Supplier concentration
Importance of volume to supplier
Cost relative to total purchases in the industry
Impact of inputs on cost or differentiation
Threat of forward integration relative to threat of
backward integration by firms in the industry

Threat of
Substitutes

Substitutes

Determinants of Substitution Threat

Relative price performance of substitutes
Switching costs
Buyer propensity to substitute

Determinants of Buyer Power

Bargaining Leverage
Buyer concentration vs.
firm concentration
Buyer volume
Buyer switching costs
relative to firm
switching costs
Buyer information
Ability to backward
integrate
Substitute products
Pull-through

Price Sensitivity
Price/total purchases
Product differences
Brand identity
Impact on quality/
performance
Buyer profits
Decision makers
incentives

The key to five forces industry analysis is to gain an understanding of how profitable
the industry will be going forward. And how can we change our current strategy to
improve our competitive position? At the center of this analysis is a clear
understanding of what forces will impact a companys profitability and how do we
protect ourselves from profit erosion.
Finally, Five Forces is not without its drawbacks. Five Forces Analysis works best for
industries that are well defined with relative stability. Some industries are a blur with
overlapping players. For example, a telephone company may provide internet
services or a bank may provide business consulting services. And given todays rate
of change, few industries can be considered relatively stable. A third dilemma with
Five Forces is the failure to recognize indirect forces that impact an industry. This
can include regulatory, social, economic, and technology. The most prudent
approach is to pull from several analytical models for a complete picture.

Value Net Model

One of the fallacies behind the Five Forces Model is that it restricts the analysis to a
single industry. A better approach may be to look at all players that interact with the
company and what values do each exchange within the overall business environment

10

(regardless of industry). We in effect redefine the industry in terms of relationships

between groups and how they play the game of business. For example, complementors
are competing companies that actually help your business. Therefore, it can be
important to not only understand competing forces, but cooperative forces at work. This
analytical approach is called the Value Net Model.
The Value Net recognizes that everyone can add value in unique ways. Value Net also
expresses strategy as PARTS:
Players Four groups will influence how you do business; Customers and Suppliers
mirror each other while on the flip side, Competitors and Complimentors will mirror each
other.
Adding Value Your company interacts with four main players to create value.
Rules All businesses are played according to a set of rules and certain players can set
the rules by which others follow.
Tactics The relationships and perceptions of each player as how they interact to create
value.
Scope The scope of reach that players have inside the group and outside. If a player
has connections outside the group, this could add more value than if the player has
limited reach.

Four Corners Analysis

Profiling a specific competitor is often important to management. However, many
competitive profiles will fail to give management insights into how competitors will
respond to your own strategy. Understanding this inter-relationship is important for
knowing how to position your company in relation to the competition. One of the most
popular models for this type of competitor analysis is the so-called Four Corners
Analysis, developed by Michael Porter of Harvard Business School. The model has four
analytical corners:
1. What drives the competitor? Look for drivers at various levels and dimensions so
you can gain insights into future goals.
2. What is the competitor doing and what is the competitor capable of doing?
3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competitor?
4. What assumptions are made by the competitors management team?

11

The key to this analysis is to work down each step and see how well or tight each corner
fits for the competitor. When you get to the fourth corner (assumptions), complete the
fourth corner with management assumptions. This ties down the model and therein
resides some useful insights. For example, how valid are these assumptions and do we
have some opportunities to exploit these assumptions? A four corners model with poor
fit will have numerous assumptions that could be off-base.
Before embarking on Four Corners Analysis, you will need to do some preliminary
research:
1. Identify your competitors.
2. Setup a profile template for defining the information to be collected and used in
your analysis. This can include numerous types of information:
a. Short history of competitor
b. Critical events
c. Major customers
d. Products and services
e. Description of management team
f. Operating information manufacturing facilities, quality, production
processes, cost structures, etc.
g. Labor force, quality, talent, etc.
h. Strategies goals, capabilities, core competencies, strengths, etc.
i. Marketing brand image, markets served, pricing, etc.
3. Gather all of the information per the template.
Once you get past these preliminary steps, you can proceed to analyze the
information and present it to management for adjusting your strategy. The purpose of
Four Corners Analysis is to predict future moves of your competitors based on your
own strategic moves.
For someone to win, his or her competitor must lose, and vice versa. But
competitors will learn from each others successes and mistakes, as well as
their own. Both sides will imitate successes and attempt to avoid mistakes.
Both will have access to similar information, and both will be prepared to
deceive the other while trying to avoid being deceived..
st

Forecasting, Planning, and Strategy for the 21 Century by Spyros G.

Makridakis

Supply Chain Analysis

One of the most overlooked analytical models has to do with the Supply Chain. A great
deal of knowledge can be gained by understanding the dynamics behind a supply chain
manufacturer, distributor, retailer, and customer. The relationship of all of these
players and how they perform together is critically important to remaining competitive.
For example, how effective are distributors in moving products between the
manufacturer to the retailer? How does this compare to other similar supply chains?
How do marketing, sales, production, other components of the inner chains fit within the
overall value chain?

12

One good place to start your analysis is with a map, showing each player in the chain
and depicting the basic flow:
Raw Suppliers

Processing Facilities

Distribution Centers

Retail Outlets

Miller - NW
Metz & Sons

Stanton Inc

Norton - USA

Taylor

(Exchanges)

Miller - East

Ataui
Satung - Asia
Miller - South

The purpose of value chain analysis is to understand the complexity of the entire
process and how can we produce more value for the customer at the end of the process.
Many Analyst try to streamline and extract more performance within the value chain,
such as faster cycle times. However, it is very important to understand how information
is shared within the value chain. Also, the nature of the products and services will impact
the performance within the value chain. Therefore, it helps to understand the drivers
associated with the value chain. For example, how a product is made will impact
performance within the value chain. Another driver is money how are players in the
chain compensated. Is it based on volume or does the system provide incentives for
reducing waste?
Keep in mind that the value chain involves all of the supply and demand flows of not just
the products, but also the services and information. This can include things like
procurement processing, order fill rates, transportation logistics, customer services, and
everything else that transforms inputs into finished products delivered to customers.
A basic model for pulling this together comes from Michael Porters book: Competitive
Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Porter concludes that the
profit margins for a business are a function of the Sales Revenues less all value-chain
activity costs. Porters model divides value chain activities between primary (directly
involved in making and moving the products) and support (functional type activities such
as product quality, order processing, technology, finance, etc.). Here is the basic model:

13

One of the benefits behind value chain analysis is that it gives you an operational
perspective of the business production, logistics, distribution, selling, customers. The
support activities (HR, Technology, Finance, Procurement, etc.) provide the underlying
layer, working in conjunction with operations. Value chain analysis is also useful for
SWOT Analysis. For example, how do we differ from our competitors in terms of
processes, logistics, and other components of the value chain? Based on these
differences, what are our strengths and weaknesses? What opportunities should we
look at for improved competitiveness? And finally, are there any major threats that we
need to address?
One of the more rigorous and comprehensive models for understanding a supply chain
is the SCOR Model. SCOR refers to Supply Chain Operations Reference. The SCOR
framework consists of several processes, each consisting of three levels. Processes
include:
Plan Providing for resources, such as Materials Requirements Planning.
Source Obtain resources, inspect, store, move, etc.
Make Create the products, test, package, etc.
Deliver Process orders, issue price quotes, invoice the customer, etc.
Return Warranty, defects, inspections, handling, transfer, etc.
Since most value chains have sub chains or multiple processes, the SCOR Model
overlays the processes into levels:

Level 1 (Process Types) Various chains or principal units that make up

the overall supply chain
Level 2 (Process Categories) Structure of planning and execution in
moving materials, information, etc.
Level 3 (Process Activities) Business and transaction processes that
support the levels above, such as purchase orders, customer orders, etc.

SCOR Model in a Balanced Scorecard Framework

14

The SCOR Model drills down to a very detail level of understanding within the supply
chain. For example, transaction processing and performance measurements are often
part of the SCOR Model. This can be useful for understanding what suppliers are good
at, how best to use suppliers, and isolating those that are strategically critical to the
business. A complete understanding of the SCOR Model is beyond the scope of this
short course. For more information, visit www.supply-chain.org

Customer Segmentation Analysis

The buying behavior of customers will vary by segment, such as the elderly, the affluent,
where people live, and so forth. If you want to understand how to compete, then you
should understand the purchasing processes who is buying what from whom? You can
start your analysis with various segments and then test each hypothesis to see if this
segment is buying the product or service. This type of analysis, referred to as customer
segmentation analysis, helps the organization focus on those segments that provide the
greatest growth. Without this correct customer focus, the organization runs the risk of
allocating resources to too many customer segments, leading to poor growth and lower
profitability. Customer segmentation analysis is a cornerstone of market research.
Certain critical questions lend themselves to Customer Segmentation Analysis:

Which customer target groups are the most attractive based on the values we
provide to the marketplace?
Are we effectively reaching those targeted groups where we offer the most
value?
How profitable is our current customer base and should we alter the customer
segment mix to improve our profitability?
Do we have sufficient organizational capabilities going forward to meet the needs
of our core customer segments?

Much of the analysis will center on definition of values the values you provide your
customers, such as innovative product features or meeting basic needs at low prices, as
well as understanding the values your competitors provide. This is the baseline from
which you segment customers. The trick is to match-up your values against different
customer segments, identifying those segments that are the most profitable. Therefore,
customer segmentation analysis can represent a critical tool for profitable strategic
focus.
Since an understanding of customers is critical to customer segmentation analysis, a
well-defined process should be in place for monitoring and tracking customers. Its also
useful to have a dynamic model in place for customer segmentation analysis. This helps
you update your analysis as various factors change, such as changes in customer
behavior, social trends, demographic shifts, etc.
One of the tools for summarizing your analysis will be market mapping. This is
somewhat similar to the value chain in that we are flowing the volume of products
through different channels, from where the product originates to where the product is
finally consumed. An example is listed below:

15

Strategic Business Units

If you have several different types of businesses, then you need to periodically make
decisions as to invest or divest in certain strategic business units (SBU). One of the
better analytical models for addressing this issue is the General Electric Screen Matrix.
Jack Welch of GE raised the issue that SBUs should be in leadership positions within
their respective markets, otherwise GE should consider divesting of the SBU. In
conjunction with the consulting firm McKinnsey & Company, GE devised a simple matrix
to map SBUs and make strategic decisions.
The overall industry represented by the SBU is evaluated based on how attractive it is
relative to potential growth, competitive position, capital investments needed, economic
conditions, regulatory issues, and various other factors. To keep it simple, we will rank
the industry attractiveness as Low, Medium or High in a vertical matrix. You can start
your analysis through Porters Five Forces Model.
Next, we need to do a SWOT type assessment of the SBU itself and rank its
attractiveness horizontally. If the SBU is weak, then we would rank it Low. Also keep in
mind that we typically have more control and influence over the SBU as opposed to the
industry.
Now summarize your results in a 3 x 3 matrix. SBUs in the upper left part of the matrix
are the most attractive while SBUs in the lower right part of the matrix are least
attractive. The GE Screen Matrix is a simple way of presenting your analysis in such a
way that you can improve how you manage the portfolio of businesses.
Listed below is a basic example of the GE Screen Matrix, showing the major criteria in
each box:

16

Invest heavily in
Invest selectively
these SBU's to
and expand
grow the overall
where feasible
business

Low

Focus on income
potential

Medium

High

SBU Attractiveness
Medium

Invest selectively
Develop
Harvest or Divest of
and expand where selectively for
these SBU's
feasible
income potential

Low

Industry Attractiveness

High

Develop
Consider
selectively and harvesting these Divest of these SBU's
grow on strengths
SBU's

Very Attractive, continue to invest and grow this SBU

Somewhat Attractive, manage closely to protect further erosion
Not Attractive, probably need to sell off SBU

PEST and STEEP

One of the concepts discussed in Part 1 of this short course was environmental
mapping. We need to understand the complete competitive landscape things like
economic trends, technology and other factors impacting our organization. One of the
more popular analytical models for environmental assessment is PEST:
Political Understanding the political environment. For example, politicians can create
new issues for a company, such as new reporting requirements for publicly traded
companies per passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Economic Changes in the economy will impact a company, such as lower investment
rates, higher interest rates, slower economic growth, and changes in consumer
spending.
Social Trends in demographics, population shifts, lifestyles, and other changes in
society can influence an organization.
Technology Sudden changes can occur with new technologies, especially for those
companies that depend upon technology for producing and distributing products and
services.
For some organizations, the natural environment or ecology could be important, such as
those companies that use or impact the physical environment. Therefore, we can add
another letter to our PEST Model (E for Ecology), rearrange the letters and come up with

17

STEEP (Social, Technology, Economic, Ecology, Political). However, the important point
is to create your own unique model that effectively monitors the external environment
that you operate in, recognizing that many elements influence one another. Additionally,
you want to relate the trends into KITs where possible, giving you the baseline you need
for understanding the implications on your organization. Most companies need a
framework for evaluating external forces and PEST or STEEP are good places to start.
Key Point Complimentary Approach
One analytical model can lead and compliment another. For
example, Four Corners Analysis can help lead or compliment
Porters Five Forces Model. Competitive Cluster Analysis of
industry products can help compliment Four Corners
Analysis. We need to recognize how different analytical
models can help work together for a complete analysis.

The Full Range of Analytical Models

Unfortunately this short course cannot do justice to the full range of analytical models.
However, an excellent book that does justice to analytical models is Strategic and
Competitive Analysis by Dr. Craig Fuller and Babette Bensoussan. This book describes
in detail numerous analytical models and how they should be applied. The authors also
have a system, which they refer to as FAROUT (Forward Oriented, Accurate, Resource
Efficient, Objective, Useful, and Timely), for determining the overall effectiveness of an
analytical model. If you want to fully understand analytical models for competitive
intelligence, this is probably the best source.
Accuracy
Futureorientation

Resource- Objectivity Usefulness

efficiency

Present to
short-term

Medium

Medium

Medium

Medium

Medium
to high

Business
Screening
Matrix

Present to
short-term

Low to
medium

Medium

Low

Medium

Medium

SWOT

Present to
short-term

Medium

Medium

Medium

Medium to
high

Medium
to high

Industry
Analysis

Present

Medium

Medium to
high

Medium

Medium to
high

Medium

Scenario
Analysis

Long term

Medium to
high

Low to
medium

Medium

Medium to
high

Low to
medium

Analytical
Method
Stakeholder
Analysis

Source: A FAROUT Way to Manage CI Analysis by Craig S. Fleisher and Babette Bensoussan

18

Timeliness

Chapter

Some Advanced Techniques

Competitive intelligence is full of special analytical techniques. This chapter will
summarize a few of the more popular tools that CI Professionals use.

Psychological Profiling
Every organization has its own unique culture. We can view this culture like we view the
psychological profile of an individual. For example, some organizations are very
innovative and risk taking while others are more calculating in their moves, opting for
less risk. If we can understand this psychological profile at the organizational level, then
we have good insights into how we can compete.
One way to comprehend the organizational psychology is to apply the Myers-Briggs
profile to the organization. Myers-Briggs is a highly predictive indicator of psychological
behavior in people. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) categorizes behavior into
four dimensions:
Extrovert vs. Introvert
Sensing vs. Intuitive
Thinking vs. Feeling
Judging vs. Perceiving
Extroverts Sociable, people oriented, works well in groups, interacts, engaging.
Introverts Intense, works through ideas, reflects, reserved, few relationships.
Sensing Practical, responsive, realistic, factual, accurate, detail oriented.
Intuitive Insightful, innovative, forward thinking, strategic, learning, inspires.
Thinking Logical, objective, reasoning, consistent, analytical, information user.
Feeling Personal, cooperative, values, relates to others, persuades, humane.
Judging Decision maker, planning, goal oriented, fast to act, hard working.
Perceiving Flexible, adaptive, casual, goes with the flow, improvise.

19

If you study a company, its decisions, processes, management, and how it makes
decisions, you can define a competitors personality. This gives you a much clearer
image of how the competitor will act going forward. For example, a judging type
company will tend to plan before acting in the global marketplace while a perceiving
company will be more adaptive to change. The personality of CEOs is also useful to
understanding the character of a company. For example, Bill Gates of Microsoft fits with
an Introvert and Thinking. CEO personality types are also useful in comparison to the
companys personality type. If the two fail to match-up, then we have identified strategic
vulnerabilities that we can exploit for increased market share. If the two psychological
profiles match up, then we may find it difficult to compete directly against the
competitors strategy; opting for a differentiation type strategy.
Another good use of psychological profiling (Myers Briggs) is to use it for mergers,
partnerships, and other possible alliances. You want to see if your company really fits
with the other company. This is an important technique for due diligence.

Shadowing
If you need to continuously monitor a specific competitor, then you should assign
different people within your organization the responsibility of shadowing the competitor.
This will require a small team of experts in different fields: Finance, Engineering,
Marketing, Management, Technology, etc. Shadow teams are formed to closely monitor
and learn in-depth everything about a key competitor. This can provide very valuable
intelligence into the behavior of the competitor. Shadow teams can also elevate the
quality of your competitive intelligence. This can be important when your competitive
intelligence functions are somewhat stagnant and in need of some new energy and
visibility within the organization. Likewise, it can be important where no competitive
intelligence effort exists, but a small group of people consider competitive intelligence
extremely important.
In order for shadow teams to work, several dynamics need to be in place:

CI Oriented All team members should be skilled at gathering and analyzing

information for intelligence.
Highly Diverse A good shadow team consists of people with diverse
backgrounds, demographics, expertise, and other characteristics so that you can
effectively cover all the bases in understanding an issue.
Independent and Autonomous Shadow teams should have some degree of
independence so that they can cut across the organization inside and out without
obstacles. They should be part of your overall CI effort, but not part of the
existing CI Function.
Strong Skills Sets Members of the Shadow Team should be very analytical,
critical thinkers, self-managing and good communicators.
Connected to Strategic Levels Shadow teams should be interacting with others
who are making strategic type decisions, including those who facilitate strategic
planning.
Rapid Response and Turnaround Shadow teams may have to respond quickly
to critical questions that need to get answered about the competitor.

20

Its worth noting that shadow teams do not work well in a conservative, non-risk taking
type environment since shadow teams can be somewhat challenging to conventional
thinking. Finally, shadow teams can subscribe to specialized services, such as Shadow
TV, to help with their shadowing efforts.

Reverse Engineering
For competitive product lines, reverse engineering is a common form of hands-on
competitive intelligence. Reverse engineering is a process of taking an existing product
or service, breaking it down into components, parts, sub-assemblies, and other products,
understanding how to build it, and creating a model or representation of how the
production process works. Reverse engineering is practiced in numerous industries:
Consumer electronics, movie production, engineering designs, chemical manufacturing,
and automobile production.
For example, Xerox has a CI Lab which buys two Cannon copier machines. One is
placed in service continuously. This allows Xerox to monitor how well Cannon copiers
hold-up under heavy use and how well Cannon executes on service calls. The second
Cannon copier is taken apart, giving insights into the manufacturing and assembly of the
copier machine. Software and Civil Engineers are routinely working on reverse
engineering since reverse engineering allows them to:

Reduce product development time

Identify critical features needed for the product design
Identify bad features that should be avoided in the product design
Establish product benchmarks for manufacturing
Test current production designs for weaknesses

Reverse engineering can be very important when a key competitor is facing possible
bankruptcy, but has a high quality product line. Another company will need to pickup this
business with a similar product line. Reverse engineering is also useful when you face
difficulties with suppliers. For example, suppose suppliers are unreliable or unwilling to
supply vital components. Reverse engineering can help develop some alternatives when
parts are difficult to obtain.
Before embarking on reverse engineering, make sure you weigh the costs vs. benefits.
Reverse engineering can be very costly, especially for one-time only type projects or
where the components and parts have existing substitutes. Reverse engineering is often
economical for products that require large investments and/or are produced in very high
volumes.

21

Global Intelligence
Collecting and analyzing information from foreign sources can present special
challenges for competitive intelligence. Here are some critical points to consider:
-

Local sources in the native language are usually more current than an English
translated version.
If you are trying to find an English information source, start with government
sources or businesses that have overseas operations.
The reliability of information may be poor. In certain parts of the World, such as
South America, you should seek high-level, reliable sources for improved
accuracy.
External factors are important: Social, political, and economic. These can be very
volatile in certain countries.
Companies that already have a presence may be heavily entrenched with the
government.
Personal relationships can be invaluable. Research often requires personal
relationships (face-to-face); especially in Asia.

Since native language sources are the best, it may be useful to invest in translation
software. A listing of translation software vendors can be found over the internet at
www.eamt.org/compendium.html. And yes, you can start some background research
through various internet search engines since most are multilingual.

Key Point Espionage vs. Competitive Intelligence

In many foreign countries, there is a fine line between
espionage and competitive intelligence.

The deck has been shuffled and jokers have been added. Never before has
American business faced so many challenges, and never before have there been
so many choices about how to face those challenges. Uncertainties and
complexities abound. The only thing truly predictable is unpredictability. The
new chic is chaos chic. As Yogi Berra put it, The future aint what it used to be.
Managing the Dream: Reflections on Leadership and Change by Warren Bennis

22

Chapter

Case Studies
Weve covered a lot of material Parts 1 and 2 of this short course. In an effort to pull it
all together, we will illustrate some of the concepts through examples or case studies.
Please note that there are no real right answers to these case studies. The purpose is to
get you into the CI thinking mode trying to apply what youve learned so that you can
give management insights into what they should do. Some possible solutions to the case
studies are included at the end of this short course but dont cheat, try to answer the
questions associated with each case study. Then compare your answers to the
comments at the end of this short course. This should finalize many of the concepts
covered in Parts 1 and 2 of this short course.

Example 1: New Product Launch

Millennium Packaging and Shipping is about to launch a new product called Fast Freeze
Wrap. Fast Freeze Wrap is a flexible wrap that clings around beverage products (such
as Coke, Beer, etc.). The product uses a flexible wrapping material, insulated with
special chemicals that get activated by bending the wrap. The product has a limited life
cycle of about 2 to 3 days, but it effectively chills any canned or bottled product that fits
within the wrapping. The product has taken three years to develop. The Research &
Development costs to date for Fast Freeze Wrap is approximately $ 15 million.
Millennium finally has the finished product, tested and ready to go to market. The
product is considered very unique since no one has a similar type product that competes
with Fast Freeze Wrap.
Mark Hatfield, CEO for Millennium is not sure how the new product should be launched.
Some of the marketing managers are opting for test marketing and further product
development; otherwise Millennium could make several mistakes with its product launch.
The research personnel have worked hard for several years getting the product exactly
right and they would like Millennium to launch the product quickly before a competitor
gets wind of what theyve created, copying it and under-cutting all of their efforts.
Millennium has a stable product mix of basic freezer and container type products. Most
of these products are not very innovative. It is very rare for Millennium to introduce new
products since they have a well-established product line. Sports and recreation vendors
within the United States, Canada, and Mexico use most of Millenniums products.
Millennium sells about 60% of its products to direct consumers through various retail
outlets, such as sporting goods stores.

23

Mr. Hatfield has asked the Competitive Intelligence Section to provide some insights and
direction on how to proceed with the new product Fast Freeze Wrap.
1. What are some of the Key Intelligence Topics?
2. What hypothesis should we consider testing through competitive intelligence?
3. What type of analytical research would be appropriate?

Example 2: Threat of New Competition

J & J Candy Company is a well-established maker of high volume, low cost candies in
the Mid Western United States. Some of J & Js products include chocolate covered
peanuts, bubble gum, and hard candies (mints, lolli-pops, etc.). J & J has strong market
presence through wide wholesale and retail distribution, including most Wal-Marts. At a
recent luncheon, the Marketing Manager discovered that Western Valley Foods has
plans to introduce its candy products in the Mid Western United States. The Marketing
Manager is not familiar with Western Valley Foods. However, in the interest of making
sure nothing happens, he informed the CI (Competitive Intelligence) Analyst about what
he learned, asking him to get back with management on the possible threat.
1. How should the CI Analyst treat this information?
2. What analytical tools should the CI Analyst consider using?

Example 3: Competitor with Superior Products

Merry Weather has enjoyed over 20 years of business in Canada. Merry Weather
manufactures and sells special weather monitoring equipment for harsh environments,
such as the North Slope. Some of Merry Weathers equipment is used to monitor
movement of glaciers and trend long-term weather patterns. Over the years, Merry
Weather has made minor improvements to its weather monitoring equipment. Since
Merry Weather is the only supplier of these types of products, it enjoys a virtually
monopoly in Canada as well as Alaska. Merry Weathers customer base includes
government agencies, airports, weather services, and scientific projects.
A European Company, DeGaltier-Hesson, is well known for very innovative and accurate
weather monitoring equipment. Last week, DeGaltier-Hesson issued a press release,
indicating that it will market its full range of products in North America (United States and
Canada). Unlike Merry Weather, DeGaltier-Hesson, continues to improve its product
line, offering state of the art in weather monitoring. DeGaltier-Hesson currently has no
distribution or market presence within the United States or Canada.
1. What analytical research should Merry Weather under take for assessing the
threat posed by DeGaltier-Hesson?
2. What, if any thing, might help protect Merry Weather from DeGaltier-Hessons
entry into the market?
3. What things could Merry Weather have done to prepare itself better given the
changing competitive environment?

24

Example 4: Sudden Change in Key Competitor

Mark Ten Properties is a premier home builder north of San Francisco. Mark Tens key
competitor is North Star Builders. For the last ten years, North Star has undercut pricing
for new homes against Mark Ten. North Star is known for its fast and tight operations
with standard type designs. This has enabled North Star to keep its prices lower than
Mark Ten. As a result, North Star has been growing faster than Mark Ten. Despite the
price competition, Mark Ten has not lost significant market share; primarily because of
the unique styles and locations of homes that Mark Ten sells. Mark Ten prides itself on
building customized homes to meet the unique needs of its customers, opting not to
build homes that all look alike. This has given Mark Ten a reputation for attracting more
high-income home buyers, thus enabling Mark Ten to grow profits despite no real growth
in its market share.
Mark Ten has just learned that North Star will have a new CEO starting next month. The
new CEO will be Mark McDonald, former CEO of Lakeland Forest Properties south of
San Francisco. Mark Tens Vice President of Marketing has asked the Research Analyst
to provide some insights into how this key competitor might change, if any, once Mr.
McDonald takes over North Star Builders.
1. What information might the Research Analyst look at to gain insights into how
North Star might change?
2. How can Mark Ten use this research to better strategize against North Star?

25

Chapter

CI Systems
Given the high demands placed on competitive intelligence along with tight company
budgets, we need to find efficient ways of working through the enormous volumes of
data and information. To help out, we can use technology for capturing what we need
and distributing our analysis to end-users on a global scale. This final chapter will outline
the nuts and bolts behind Competitive Intelligence (CI) Systems. Please note that CI
Systems are not a substitute for analysis, but CI Systems can help ensure that we spend
more time analyzing the information as opposed to collecting it. Additionally, we might
find some leverage through Business Intelligence (BI). This is particularly true if the BI
System is:
-

Not confined to just internal sources of information, but also looks at external
sources of information
Correlating and improving how you can understand relationships between
internal and external information
Taking into account strategy, such as inclusion of business rules so that the
database is strategically grounded
Not stale, is updated with current information from numerous sources, including
human sources across the company.
Looking at information in a very broad and qualitative context as opposed to a
narrow and quantitative context.
Not overly focused on Customer Relationship Management (common to most BI
Systems), but is looking at the entire business landscape industry, products,
markets, competitors, risks, etc.

The nature of competition and complexity of business environment, coupled

with advancing information technology, will continue to evolve. Business
intelligence (BI) tools, techniques, and management methods are becoming
permanent features of the business landscape. The value of better, timelier BI
could tip the delicate balance between success and failure in seizing the right
opportunities. People involved with BI want to know more about:
- How to develop a competitive intelligence network
- Getting more and better information at an earlier point
- Finding accurate and comprehensive data in the easiest to use format
at the lowest cost
- An effective method for monitoring specific targets.
Internet Business Intelligence by David Vine

26

So we will loosely refer to CI Systems with the understanding that in some cases we
might be talking about a BI System; especially if the BI System meets the criteria
outlined above. We should also recognize that any automated system for competitive
intelligence should be able to:
-

Respond to simple KITs by returning appropriate documents that are 80%

accurate.
Identify the subject or entity correctly 90% of the time within the information
database.
Return summaries or abstracts that reduce 80% of the volume without real loss
in information value.

One of the principal reasons for having a CI System is to have on-demand information
for fast retrieval, filtering, and monitoring. Alert services are a common feature within
most systems, sending you emails when you get a hit on your stored search terms.
Search terms are maintained in the taxonomy, a single repository for driving search
results. Most CI Systems have sub-search term structures. For example, you add the
search term heart disease to monitor medical developments. Several sub-search terms
are added to the taxonomy, such as cardiovascular disease and hardening arteries.
This helps ensure that your search results are complete.
Given the enormity of information stored within a CI System, you no doubt will need
some way of mining through the sea of data. Mining tools allow you to extrapolate the
relevant information for further analysis. Text mining is of particular importance for CI
because so much information takes the form of text. Text mining looks for things like
word proximity and sentence structure, sifting through billions of text, placing it into some
common format (referred to as normalization), and filtering or ranking the text using
statistical methods. A good mining tool will also provide some analytical capability, such
as structuring the output into visual charts, tables and graphs.
The sheer volume of data at our disposal can either bury us or propel us. Its
our choice. To ignore our data resources is fatal. Truly sustainable growth is
only possible if we are able to leverage resources more efficiently in order to
make better decisions faster and less expensively.
The Value Factor: How Global Leaders Use Information for Growth and

Competitive Advantage by Mark Hurd and Lars Nyberg

Intelligence Portals are quite popular with many CI Professionals. These portals provide
a gateway to the databases that feed information for competitive intelligence. Three
examples are Novintel (www.novintel.com), InfoBrix (www.yellowbrix.com) and FirstRain
(www.firstrain.com). However, many portals may be too generic, helping with overall
knowledge management as opposed to specific CI Projects.

27

Another popular application for business intelligence is Business Alert Monitoring or

BAMs. For competitive intelligence, this may or may not be applicable. It depends on
how CI oriented your Business Intelligence Database is. Assuming that CI and BI are
closely aligned, then BAMs may warrant some development attention. BAM vendors
include www.celequest.com, www.quantive.com, and www.vigilpro.com .
For companies with well-developed processes for competitive intelligence, then a
comprehensive CI application should be considered. These CI Systems can provide
robust features and functionality to:

Collect and filter information from very specialized sources to reduce the
research time.
Summarize and organize the information so that relevant information is easy to
discern.
Catalog and index the results of your primary research, making it readily
available for future CI projects.
Improve the reporting of CI results through the use of graphical views.

Some of the major CI applications include:

1) Intelligence (www.brimstone.net) - Collects information over the internet based on
defined criteria. Provides the ability to do comparative analysis by products and
companies. Very useful for categorizing information and displaying relationships with
graphical tools. Somewhat restricted when it comes to capturing secondary and primary
sources of information.
2) Knowledge.Works (www.cipher-sys.com) - Designed as a management solution to CI
Projects. Includes project setup in the form of Key Intelligence Topics as well as
collection tools for capturing and storing information in conjunction with Lotus Notes.
3) Strategy (www.strategy-software.com) Collects and organizes information from
numerous sources and provides tools for analyzing and comparing the information.
Includes useful reporting tools and templates for matrix comparisons as well as graphical
comparisons.
4) Wincite (www.wincite.com) Organizes information for CI Projects and includes some
analytical capability such as SWOT and Porters Five Forces. Also has solid capabilities
for distributing intelligence through web browsers.
5) Wisdom Builder (www.wisdombuilder.com) Very good application for identifying
relationships between data. Allows easy capture of primary sources of information. One
of the more user-friendly applications, adjusting to different needs of a CI Project.
If you have a specific need within the life cycle of a CI Project, then you may want to
consider investing in a specialized application that fills a certain niche. There are
numerous applications that are not marketed for competitive intelligence, yet they fill
major voids in the competitive intelligence process. Here are a few examples:

28

1) ClearResearch (www.clearforest.com) - Mining tool for pulling information based

on relationships.
2) InMagic (www.inmagic.com) - Content distribution
3) IntelliGenxia (www.intelligenxia.com) - Organizes unstructured data.
4) Persector (www.promere.com) - Market data analysis.
5) BrandPulse (www.planetfeedback.com/biz) - Tool for gathering consumer
intelligence.
6) ACIS (www.coemergence.com) - Tool for capturing internal sources of
intelligence.
In conclusion, technology can help the CI Professional with managing various CI
projects especially with collecting and filtering through information, continuous
monitoring of database sources, and rapid distribution of CI results with the use of
graphical tools. However, the CI Process is very much a human driven process and as a
result, the implementation of any CI System should only take place once the CI Function
has been very well-developed.
Our fascination with technology has made us forget the key purpose of
information: to inform people. All the computers in the world wont help if
users arent interested in the information generated. All the
telecommunications bandwidth wont add a dime of value if employees dont
share the information they have with others. Information and knowledge are
quintessentially human creations, and we will never be good at managing
them unless we give people a primary role.
Information Ecology: Mastering the Information and Knowledge

Environment by Thomas H. Davenport with Laurence Prusak

29

Course Summary
At the core of competitive intelligence (CI) is analysis. CI Professionals are experts in the
use of various analytical models, such as SWOT Analysis, Porters Five Forces, PEST /
STEEP, and Market Segmentation. When applied correctly, these analytical models can
convert desperate pieces of information into actionable intelligence. CI Professionals are
also very diligent about developing and communicating their results in a timely and
useful manner. Therefore, we must recognize that the best analytical approaches are
forward-looking, relevant to the company, free of bias, and current with the competitive
landscape.
Besides the full range of analytical models, competitive intelligence engages in specific
techniques, ranging from competitive intelligence at industry trade shows to shadowing a
key competitor for insights into how managers make decisions. When combined with
things like counter-intelligence and CI Systems, we have the makings of a world-class
competitive intelligence effort.

The will to honestly, the will to believe what the information shows, both in
individuals and organizations, is the scarcest commodity in the military, in
government, and in business. The ability to see the consequences of actions
clearly, even when that perception runs counter to conventional wisdom, requires
courage and a willingness to be alone. Sometimes it requires the courage to be
wrong, for none of us is guaranteed omniscience. But the will to believe what the
facts reveal, and the courage to act on those facts, is the foundation of success in
all endeavors.
The Intelligence Edge by George Friedman, Meredith Friedman, Colin Chapman, and
John S. Baker, Jr.

30

Final Exam
1. A good place to start a competitive intelligence project is to:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Collect as much information as possible

Define the key intelligence topic
Profile all competitors
Conduct SWOT Analysis

2. Hastin Instruments will soon launch a new product. What type of intelligence
would be most critical for Hastin at this point in time so that its new product
launch is successful?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Competitor Intelligence
Political Intelligence
Technology Intelligence
Market Intelligence

3. One of the better analytical models for determining your core competencies is:
a.
b.
c.
d.

SWOT
PEST
Shadowing
KIT

4. In order to understand the detail workings behind a supply chain, the CI Analyst
or Professional should probably consider what type of model?
a.
b.
c.
d.

SBU Model
Value Net Model
Five Forces Model
SCOR Model

5. Competitive intelligence requires that we scan and analyze the broad

environment beyond ones industry and competition. One framework commonly
used to gain a better understanding of the broad environment is to use:
a.
b.
c.
d.

PEST
SCOR
Four Corners Analysis
Shadowing

6. Caltron Industrial Products is a company that makes decisions in a calculating,

rather methodical way. Caltron has not changed much over time in how it makes
business decisions. Carlton is also not very visible within its industry, having few
partnerships and alliances. The company is somewhat quiet in comparison to a

31

few other players in the industry. If we were to categorize Caltrons personality

type using Myers-Briggs, it would most likely be:
a. Introvert and Thinking
b. Introvert and Feeling
c. Extrovert and Perceiving
d. Extrovert and Feeling
7. NuClear Software Products has plans to develop a new software product.
Several other competing software products already exist in the marketplace. The
CEO for NuClear wants to shorten the lead times for making this new product.
He also wants to make sure the new product takes into account some of the best
features from competing products. Which of the following techniques would help
NuClear compress its product development time and identify critical product
features?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Shadowing
GE Screen Matrix
STEEP
Reverse Engineering

8. Norton Swim Wear sells simple, low cost swimming suits along the East Coast of
the United States. Norton management hired an outside analyst to do some
competitive intelligence. Here are some excerpts from the CI analysis:
Two Customer Segments:
1. Highly fashionable swim wear primary markets are California, Miami, and
New England, customers tend to pay premium prices, very high profit
margins.
2. Basic simple swimwear primary markets are south of New England, from
New Jersey coast down to Florida (excludes Miami target market).
Customers tend to be price sensitive, looking for the best bargains.
Market Volume / Growth Information:
The fastest growing market for swimwear is in Miami. Two other markets that
show solid growth are California and Florida. The remaining markets, such as
New Jersey down to South Carolina are relatively flat.
Norton currently has very limited resources for any expansion and the CEO has
asked the CI Analyst for a recommendation on where Norton should focus its
resources for selling its swim wear. Based on the above competitive intelligence
information, Norton should probably focus on what geographic target market?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Miami
Florida (excludes Miami)
California
New Jersey

32

9. Titan Industries has three different strategic business units or SBUs Collins,
Maxim, and Stellar. Each SBU is very different and Titan has conducted a
combination of SWOT and Porters Fiver Forces Analysis for each SBU. The
results of this analysis is summarized below in the GE Screen Matrix:

Low -Industry Attractiveness - High

High - SBU Attractiveness - Low

Collins

Stellar

Maxim

Based on the above matrix summary, what investment strategy should Titan take
regarding each SBU?
Continue to Invest
Develop Selectively Divest of SBU
a.
Maxim
Stellar
Collins
b.
Collins
Maxim
Stellar
c.
Collins
Stellar
Maxim
d.
Stellar
Maxim
Collins
10. Which of the following factors will help align a Business Intelligence System into
a Competitive Intelligence System?
a.
b.
c.
d.

BI System is controlled by Marketing personnel

BI System relies on both internal and external data
BI System has well established data marts
BI System is capturing all company regulatory filings

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Possible Solutions to Case Studies

The following comments are offered to help you understand how CI might be applied in
different situations. These comments are not necessarily the correct answer, but they
should help you understand how CI can play a vital role in helping management resolve
critical issues.

Example 1: New Product Launch

1. Since Millennium is ready to launch its new product, customer and market intelligence
are critically important. This is often the case with most new product introductions as
illustrated in the product life cycle curve. Therefore, we have certain key intelligence
topics related to the customer and the marketplace:
-

Who is going to buy this product? List out the different customer segments and
do research to find out purchasing behavior who does this product appeal to
based on their buying habits?
Where is the market for this product? Is the market inside or outside Millenniums
current market territory? Would it be better to launch the product in Mexico where
Millennium has a footprint? Will it help Millennium to test the product in Mexico
where the product would not attract intense competitive attention?
When should the product get launched? Launching this type of product in the
middle of winter probably wont work this is a very seasonal type product. The
timing and location of the product launch are very important.

2. One of the issues raised by the research section had to do with duplication of the
product. We should test this hypothesis how likely is it that competitors will duplicate
Fast Freeze Wrap. Is the product easy to duplicate? Who is best able to duplicate the
product and who do they sell to?
3. Several analytical models can help answer Mr. Hatfields questions. After the product
is launched and selling in the marketplace, competitive intelligence will need to study the
competition as to how they will react. CI should study the production processes within its
own company and see what competitors have similar type facilities. Four Corners
Analysis might be useful for evaluating the competitive positioning after product launch.
We should also recognize that Porters Five Forces Model can give some insights what
product substitutes exist and how much power does the supplier of chemicals (used in
the freeze wrap) have on our ability to produce and meet demand. Competitive
intelligence can be pro-active in protecting Millennium from some unforeseen issues
once the product has been launched and market appeal starts to grow.

Example 2: Threat of New Competition

1. Confirm and verify the information directly to the source that informed the Marketing
Manager. Find out who has this knowledge and where did he obtain it. The Marketing
Manager can provide the name and perhaps the phone number for primary research.

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The CI Analyst can continue to confirm back to other sources, picking up more bits of
insight into the intentions of Western Valley Foods. If the information is well collaborated
and confirmed, then further competitive intelligence should be conducted. For example,
CI should find out more about the products Western Valley will sell, when will Western
Valley move into the market space, and other information that puts J & J into action
mode. CI continues to push until there is a clear threat and action must be taken. For
example, suppose Western Valley will market high premium candies that do not
compete with J & J. The impact is now substantially less and warrants monitoring, but
perhaps not immediate action. CI is the fine art of getting enough hard evidence to
paint a clear picture of what will happen and how and when it will impact your company.
2. If the threat is confirmed as real, the CI Analyst needs to conduct competitive analysis
directly against Western Valley. Find out who buys their products, what products are
they likely to introduce, where will they sell them, etc. The CI Analyst needs to issue a CI
Alert, providing insights and possible action on how J & J can counter Western Valley
Foods. For example, maybe J & J should launch similar products ahead of time in the
same outlets where Western Valley sells its candies. CI should help you out-guess the
moves of Western Valley, minimizing the impact of the new competitor.

Example 3: Competitor with Superior Products

1. It is critically important for Merry Weather to understand DeGaltier-Hesson. This
includes:
-

SWOT Analysis to give us insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the
competitor. What are the core competencies of DeGaltier-Hesson? How does it
compete? Who are the customers?

Psychological Profile of the CEO and company can be useful. We need to

understand how DeGaltier-Hesson makes decisions and past behavior should
help us understand decisions going forward.

Supply Chain Analysis might be useful since DeGaltier-Hesson has no footprint

in the marketplace. We can ascertain what is required to market and distribute
products in the United States and Canada. This can help establish a time-line for
when we can expect to feel the impact of the new competitor.

Porters Five Forces Model can help us understand if we should remain in this
industry. How much will it cost to compete going forward?

Reverse Engineering of DeGaltier-Hessons products. Merry Weather should

obtain some of DeGaltier-Hessons products that compete directly with their
products. Break the product down and see if it really is better than its own
product line. How superior is the product? What can Merry Weather learn and
build into its products?

2. If customers for Merry Weather decide to use DeGaltier-Hesson, they will be faced
with the time and expense of switching out their current monitoring equipment. The
benefit may not exceed the costs of switching over. Merry Weather may be able to

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counter by offering discounts on upgraded products or offering maintenance and repair

service to prevent customers from switching over. For customers likely to switch, it could
help to show product comparisons that highlight the low costs and same basic features
of Merry Weathers products.
3. Merry Weather should establish some basic competitive intelligence, such as
attending trade shows to identify competitors and evaluate product innovations. You can
also setup some basic searches on commercial databases to monitor key competitors.
Also understand the dynamics of the industry and what is driving change. For example,
you need to understand customers, suppliers, and external forces that shape the
industry.

Example 4: Sudden Change in Key Competitor

The Research Analyst should look at past decisions and strategy at Lakeland Forest
Properties while Mr. McDonald was the CEO. What kind of culture and reputation did
Lakeland Forest have? What is Mark McDonalds background? Can you paint a pattern
of behavior?
It would also be useful to do a Myers-Briggs of the CEO vs. Myers-Briggs of North Star.
See if the two fit. If they do fit, then North Star will most likely continue to compete
aggressively against Mark Ten. If the two do not fit, then Mark Ten may have a unique
opportunity to take advantage of new weaknesses created with the sudden CEO
change. For example, many of the people who work for North Star could get
disillusioned with the new CEO who doesnt fit with the established culture of North Star.
Therefore, Mark Ten might be able to pull some people and expertise away from North
Star, allowing it to enter into the standard, lower price home building market.

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