Challenges with Competitive Intelligence in Swedish Organizations

Johan Hammarlundjohan.hammarlund@m-brain.com

Lars Degerstedtlars.degerstedt@sh.se

Results from a survey October 2014

Challenges with competitive intelligence in Swedish organizations

Competitive Intelligence (CI)

Competitive intelligence is a systematic process for monitoring and analysis of the external world from the perspective of an organization and how to gain strategic insights from such study.

Note: ”competitive” is here understood in its most general sense, taking into account ”any related external event” for an organization.

Background and purpose• CIBAS – studies of “social CI”– CI and collaboration / CI networks

• Survey October 2014 – Challenges of organization using CI

• Responders from Swedish organizations– Various positions from various industries– 157 respondents (of 3533, answer ratio 4%)– 137 different Swedish organizations

• A new survey is planned this fall (2015)

About the survey• 14 questions• 3 sections– Basic characteristics (3 questions)– Background factors (6 questions)– Challenges (4 questions)

• Single and multiple choice questions• Anonymous answers

Profession of respondents

157 respondents

Industry of respondents

137 different organizations

6 background factors of CI • Organizational

1. Revenue2. Time since start of CI program (in years)

• Community3. Number of CI contributors4. Number of users of CI deliverables

• Networking 5. Geographic spread of CI networks6. Type of business relations

Time since start of CI (program)

Time since start of CI vs. annual revenueAd hoc1-5 years> 5 years

CI contributors and CI usersCI contributorsCI users

4 types of challenges

CI programCI network

CI content CI tools

Challenges with CI content

Challenges with CI content

CI content challenges vs. background factors

Number of CI contributors• Achieve a well-structured

organization of user-selected content

• Produce high quality deliverables

Number of CI users• Make useful interpretation and

analysis of content• Achieve a well-structured

organization of user-selected content

Number of CI contributorsAll other challenges!

Number of CI users• Find relevant information

when it is needed• Make the reliability of

content clear• Make content readable and

easy to understand

Increasing with factor Decreasing with increasingfactor

Challenges with CI tools

Challenges with CI tools

CI tool challenges vs. background factors

Number of CI contributors• To find tools that are easy to

use• That users do not know what

to do with resultsNumber of CI users• Get users to spend enough

time using the CI tools• Be able to use several tools

and platforms integrated

Number of CI contributors• Get users to spend enough

time using the CI tools• Find tools that are engaging

to useNumber of CI users• Find tools that are easy to

use• Find tools that are engaging

to use

Increasing with factor Decreasing with increasingfactor

Challenges with CI networking

CI network challenges vs. background factors – Top 1

Revenue & number of CI contributors

Connect different units in a cross-functional way

Time since start of CITurn shared insights into profitable business activities

Geographic spread of CI networksGet people to contribute in the discussion

Revenue & geographic spread of CI networks

Iden tify trig ger events or op por tunities

Time since start of CICreate time for discussion for the participants

Number of CI contributorsTurn shared insights into profitable business activities

Increasing with factor Decreasing with increasingfactor

Variable

CI network challenges vs. business relations – Top 1 difference

Stable

AdaptiveInfluential

Few Many

Turn shared insights into profitable business activities

Create time for discussion for the participants

VS.

VS.

VS.

Turn shared insights into profitable business activities

Formulate a long term community purpose and strategy

Create time for discussion for the participants

Turn shared insights into profitable business activities

Challenges with CI programs

CI program challenges vs. background factors – Top 1

Revenue & Geographic spread of CI

Transform insights to business value

Time since start with CI & number of CI contributors

Integrate CI within the organization

Revenue & Geographic spread of CI

Formulate a conceptual model for CI

Time since start with CIFormulate a long term CI strategy

Number of CI contributorsTransform insights to business value

Increasing with factor Decreasing with increasingfactor

Summary of most frequent challenges – Top 3

CI program1. Transform insights into

business value 2. Integrate CI in the

organization 3. Formulate a long-term CI

strategy

CI content1. Useful interpretation and

analysis of content2. Find relevant information

when needed3. Well-structured

organization of user-selected content

CI tools1. Find tools that are easy to

use 2. Get users to spend time

using the tools3. Find tools that are

engaging to use

CI network1. Turn shared insight into

business value2. Connect units in cross-

functional ways3. Create time for

participation