From marketing research to competitive intelligence: useful generalization or loss of focus?

Abstract

The history of competitive intelligence (as an organizational function) and its evolution out of marketing research are discussed. Besides a straight historical overview, the transition from marketing research to competitive intelligence is analyzed in order to point to both the potential strengths and weaknesses of having intelligence form an independent “freestanding” discipline. While military analogies can be seductive, organizations should continue to embrace the marketing concept which centers on cooperation and service, not conflict.

The Maturity of the Competitive Intelligence Function

“…The systematic process used in developing competitive intelligence products is commonly known as the intelligence cycle and progresses through a recurring set of steps including planning, data gathering, analysis, and dissemination. ' (p.56) The systematic characteristic of competitive intelligence is present in several other publications (Hall & Lundberg, 2010;Hirvensalo, 2004;Kahaner, 1996;Walle, 1999;Whitehead, 2002) as a mandatory statement. In fact, using an organized plan in the competitive intelligence process is what allows organizations to state having a competitive intelligence function.…”

“…Does this make strategic management an unethical or illegal activity? Another view of competitive intelligence history is the one which evolves from marketing intelligence, very popular in the sixties (Walle, 1999). All the same, nowadays, competitive intelligence authors continue to establish relationships between organizational competitive intelligence and national intelligence services.…”

“…Competitive intelligence is a process that should appear in every aspects of the organization, rather than relegated to this one area or division (Kahaner, 1996). Competitive intelligence activities should be transversal to the whole organization, and according to Walle (1999) should serve all business functions. In fact, organizations must understand competitive intelligence as a support tool for management in implementing tactics to compete, differentiate, reduce costs and risks, and generate revenue (Whitehead, 2002 (Whitehead, 2002) As you can see, competitive intelligence is more than a simple tool to assess competitors.…”

Algunas propuestas de inteligencia competitiva para las pequeñas y medianas empresas del Perú

“…Según Walle (1999), la Inteligencia Competitiva ha emergido como una disciplina independiente en las ciencias de la administración, pero está muy relacionada con el marketing. Ahora, las actividades de inteligencia en las empresas son más integrales.…”

Competitive intelligence and other levers of brand performance

“…Competitive intelligence searches for information about the competition while shielding the organization's proprietary information from outsiders (Walle, 1999), whereas members with self-indulgent behaviour or destructive behaviour, for their self-interests, may leak the organization's proprietary information. Competitive intelligence searches for information about the competition while shielding the organization's proprietary information from outsiders (Walle, 1999), whereas members with self-indulgent behaviour or destructive behaviour, for their self-interests, may leak the organization's proprietary information.…”