Competitive Intelligence PMRS - 10 January 2002 Competitive Intelligence for Internet Researchers Knowledge Navigators [email protected] Competitive

Competitive IntelligenceCompetitive IntelligencePMRS - 10 January 2002PMRS - 10 January 2002

Competitive Intelligencefor

Internet Researchers

Knowledge Navigators

[email protected]





Agenda

• Overview• Collection

– Industries– Companies– People– News– Government

• Analysis• Current awareness tools


What is Competitive Intelligence?

Competitive Intelligence is processed information about your business environment that enables more informed decision-making by identifying threats, developments and opportunities.

– Basic: background information that can be used as a basis for evaluating new information.

– Current: recent information relating to current situations and events.


Information vs Intelligence

• Information– Raw, unprocessed– Fact or collection of

facts– Must be checked for

accuracy, grouped with other facts and interpreted to uncover underlying causes, circumstances and truths

• Intelligence– Interpretation of

information

– Results from information processing

– Requires knowledge of external factors affecting a business

– Predictive



Intelligence is NOT spying

• Espionage is spying. Companies that practice industrial espionage are vulnerable to bad publicity and/or legal action.

• 80 to 90 per cent of what decision-makers need to know about the external operating environment can be obtained ethically and legally.

• Grey zone includes myriad activities that defy definition, border on the illegal or don't feel right.

• Establish and promote clear ethical guidelines.




Three CI Disciplines

1. Competitor Intelligence

2. Market Intelligence

3. Technical Intelligence


Intelligence Cycle Five Stages

1. Direction– Starts at the top

2. Collection– Develop a plan

3. Processing– Analysis is essential

4. Production– Choose the right format

5. Dissemination– When, and to whom?


Direction

• Statement of the Intelligence Problem– Most important of the

intelligence needs

• Priority Intelligence Needs– Those that are

necessary for action

• What decision needs to be made?

• Why does this decision need to be made?

• When does this decision need to be made?

• Who is making this decision?

• How will this intelligence be used?


Collection

• Industries

• Companies

• People

• Governments


Top Search Engines

390

625

500

550

1500 500 330700

Northern Light

Fast

Inktomi

AltaVista

Google 3.3 B

1 B 2 B.5B 1.5 B 2.5 B 3 B


Collection Plan


Industry Profile Template

• Industry Status• SIC/NAICS Codes• Environment• Top Companies• Professional

Associations• Trade

Periodicals/Journals

• Unions• Products• Service• Customers• Areas of Growth• New Technologies• Industry Trends


Company Profile Template

• General Information• Relationships• Competitive

Environment• Personnel• Goals and Strategies

• Financial Information• Products and Services• Market• Technology Issues • Capabilities• Threats


Public Companies

• SEDAR & EDGAR– 10K Wizard

– EDGAR Online

• Investor Sites– CompanyResearch.com

– Stockhouse.com

– AdviceforInvestors.com

– WSRN.com

• Analyst Sites– Multex


Private Companies

• Company website– News releases– News stories – Suppliers/distributors

• Watchdogs/gripe sites– Unions– Activists– .Sucks

• Subsidiaries are like private companies



Small Pond Theory

• To whom is this company important?

• What are local sources of information?– Newspaper– Library– Real Estate Office– Chamber of Commerce– Civic Administration


Universal Electric Power Co.

• US needs more electricity

• Universal Electric Power in Akron, Ohio has invented new technology

• UEP generating systems produce low-cost electricity

• Thousands of sites exist where the UEP system can provide cheap power






People

• Telephone

• Addresses

• Email

• Postal codes

• Reverse lookups

• Biography databases

• Genealogy sites

• Alumni

• Career ads

• Use modifiers to find experts– bear expert

– arthritis speaker

– gmo conference

• Beware of stylistic inconsistencies


Personality Profile Template

• Name/nicknames

• Date & place of birth

• Company/position

• Responsibilities

• Salary

• Education

• Languages

• Medical history

• Business philosophy

• Personality traits

• Foreign travel

• Relationships

• Employment record

• Significant activities

• Qualifications

• Reputation/awards

• Track record

• Your assessment


Peoplefinding Services– SuperPages

• http://www.superpages.com/

– Anywho• http://www.anywho.com/

– Canada411• http://www.canada411.sympatico.ca/

– Canada-Infobel (Infospace)• http://www.infospace.com/info.infobel/canada.htm

– Looksmart• http://www.looksmart.com/

– WorldPages• http://search.worldpages.com



News Services

• Internet News– Headlines Only

– Shallow Archives

• Current News– Expensive

• Archive News– Many libraries offer

free access

– Some pay-per-view









Finding Government Gold

• United States– FedWorld

– USGovSearch

– FirstGov

– NTIS

– Thomas

– GovResearch Center

– EDGAR

• Canada– Canada Site

– Strategis

– Connecting Canadians

– Contracts Canada

– PARL

– NRC/CISTI

– SEDAR



Analysis

Analysis is the process of predicting the future by reviewing the past and present, and recommending certain actions based on this review


Analysis

• Analysis consists of four distinct steps:

1. Examine

2. Assess

3. Interpret

4. Fusion

• Risk-taking• Two views

– Academic research looks at past

– CI analysis looks at future

– Conclusions designed to be acted upon

• “So-what” test


Analysis

• Not just bean counting– Context, meaning

• Not simply regurgitating info– What are implications

for decision-making

• Not one-dimensional– Insights

– Conclusions

• Identify trends• Identify mysteries• Disciplined thinking• Involves reflection• Looking for big picture• Search for meaning• Identifies complex

relationships• Understand cause and

effect


Management Profiling

• Determines the impact that decision-makers will have on their company in a given situation

• Uses personality profiles to assess decision-makers based on the subject's background, current behavior and internal influences


Management Profiling

• Background – how did he or she act in the past? What stands out?

• Internal influences – what is the corporate culture?

• Current behaviour – how does the decision-maker make decisions?


SWOT Analysis

1.Strengths – your competitor's strengths are a threat to your company

2.Weaknesses – opportunities for your company

3.Opportunities – threats to your company

4.Threats – opportunities for your company


When to Quit

• Patterns appear

• Start to see repetition

• Critical questions answered

• Budget

• Degree of certainty established

• Timeframe (1/3, 2/3 rule)


Current Awareness Services

• Website Watchers– Mind-it

– TrackEngine

– Profusion Alerts

• Web Clippers– WebClipping

– CyberScan




Summary

• Direction comes from the top

• Use rigorous collection plan

• Work from templates

• Use the right tool

• Take calculated risks - “This is what I think it means.”

Documents

Competitive Intelligence PMRS - 10 January 2002 Competitive Intelligence for Internet Researchers Knowledge Navigators [email protected] Competitive