Competitive Intelligence For Dummies

Chapter 2

Getting Started with CI

In This Chapter

Figuring out what you have and what you need to get started

Assembling a competitive intelligence team

Identifying the information you need and where to find it

Optimizing results — strategies and tips

For competitive intelligence (CI) to be effective, it must be formal, systematic, and continuous. It has to be an integral part of your daily business operations, regardless of your organization’s size. However, size does influence what the CI function looks like in different organizations. In a small business with an owner and a handful of employees, the CI function may consist of a weekly or monthly meeting in which employees share information with the owner, who conducts analysis and formulates strategy. A large corporation, on the other hand, may have one or more CI departments that gather information internally and externally, analyze it, and collaborate with the corporation’s leadership to formulate strategy.

In this chapter, I explain how to put all the pieces in place to build a CI function within the framework of your existing ...