The purpose of the Destination Phase of the Competitive Intelligence process is to initiate or, in the situation where some CI function already exists, to conduct an audit in order to further develop a Competitive Intelligence capability within an organisation.

It doesn't matter how many resources are applied to the CI function, what is more important is how the resources are applied. For example, a CI unit may consist of a manager who coordinates the CI effort (a part-time function) assisted by an analyst who spends fifty percent of his/her time on CI and the remainder on marketing research.

There are two situations that can exist. One is a "greenfield" situation where a formal CI capability doesn't exist and the other is where a CI capability exists but further development is needed.

In the case of a "greenfield" site, the process of planning the implementation of a CI capability involves the ten major steps described below (CI-Action). Where a CI function already exists, the same steps take place but in the form of a Competitive Intelligence Capability Audit against best practice.

Overall, this ten-step plan consists of three parts:

Part A: Where do we want to be? (Steps 1 through 4)
Part B: Where are we at now? (Steps 5 through 8)
Part C: How will we get there? (Steps 9 and 10).

CI-Action is the name of the consulting service provided by Woodlawn Marketing Services for designing and implementing a Competitive Intelligence capability within an organisation. The major steps in this process are:

Step 1: Gain Executive Management Backing

Step 2: Appoint a CI Manager

Step 3: Conduct a Stakeholder Analysis

Step 4: Determine the Purpose, Direction and Policies

Step 5: Conduct an Information Audit

Step 6: Perform a SWOT Analysis

Step 7: Perform a Force-Field Analysis

Step 8: Determine the Critical Success Factors

Step 9: Decide on Strategies

Step 10: Define the Action Plans

1. Gain Executive Management Backing
   
   This step requires executive team education on what a CI unit can and cannot do for the organisation and what options are available. A CI capability can have different purposes: Defensive intelligence to avoid surprises; Passive intelligence to provide benchmark data; and Offensive intelligence to identify opportunities. Depending on the type of organisation, the focus of activity will be on the following environments: competitive, technological, economic, political and regulatory, and the social environment.
   
   If the CEO is not behind the initiative, then the effort will be wasted. The end result is for the executive team to agree on what having a CI capability could mean to the organisation. Note that in the case of Motorola, the initiative for wanting to build a CI capability came from the Chairman at the time, Bob Galvin, with initial misgivings and lack of support from the executive team.
   
   The form of this education will depend on circumstances. Ideally it requires a "champion" or "sponsor" at the executive level to determine the best way of conducting the education process - usually in the form of a briefing. But it also could involve some preliminary investigation and development of a formal proposal to present to the executive level. Or it could be as subtle as giving everyone on the executive team a copy of Larry Kahaner's book on Competitive Intelligence.
   
   The outcome of this step is commitment from the executive level.
   
   
2. Appoint a CI Manager
   
   If a CI manager is not already in place, appoint a person who will lead the development process. This person is there to coordinate the collection, storage, analysis, and dissemination of intelligence within the organisation and needs to be trained on what's involved in developing and running an effective CI capability within the organisation. This person should be an internal appointment; someone who is well respected at all levels of the organisation and possibly already a member of the executive team. This person needs to understand the industry and understand the organisation and he or she needs to have a good network of contacts within and outside the organisation. This person needs to be a good communicator, both written and oral, and be able to see the "big picture". Because the CI process extends beyond the CI team to impact the whole organisation, there is an opportunity for the CI manager to take a leading role in promoting organisational learning and acting as a change agent.
   
   He or she will also be a good project manager by establishing clear objectives and directives for the CI function, match tasks to skills and interests of CI team members, and protects the team from distractions.
   
   
3. Conduct a Stakeholder Analysis
   
   The initial responsibility of this CI manager (or CI director) will be to conduct a stakeholder analysis to determine who the key intelligence users are, what they will use intelligence for, when it is required, why it is needed, and how the intelligence will be used.
   
   Usually this information is obtained by separately interviewing the individuals involved. It works better if two researchers are employed - one to ask the questions and one to record the answers.
   
   
4. Determine the Purpose, Direction and Policies
   
   Given the identified requirements of users, the next step is to develop a statement of the purpose (who it is to serve), the products / services to be delivered, how it will be run (including communications and data collection ethics) and initial thoughts on resources required for the CI unit - including staffing, infrastructure, budgets, operations, security, etc. at a policy level.
   
   
5. Conduct an Information Audit
   
   What information already exists within the organisation that is required to support the requirements elicited in 3 above and the environment (culture and facilities) existing to communicate this information.
   
   
6. Perform a SWOT Analysis
   
   What are the strengths and weaknesses of this (proposed) CI capability in comparison to others (competitors or models)?
   Is the CI manager and/or CI analyst a member of a professional body such as the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) or similar body?
   What are the opportunities for achieving break-throughs in the way intelligence is used within the organisation?
   What are threats to the successful launch and future viability of the CI function?
   
   
7. Perform a Force-Field Analysis
   
   What human factors might assist or hinder the success of this unit? (Includes "knowledge is power" syndrome and change management issues).
   
   
8. Determine the Critical Success Factors
   
   What must go well to ensure the success of the CI function?
   - Top management involvement
   - A focus on what is important to the organisation
   - Be expert at analysis and communications
   - Involvement of everyone in organisation
   - Maintenance of ethical standards
   
   
9. Decide on Strategies
   
   What are the strategies for establishing / developing the CI capability? What approaches are to be taken in regard to budgets, hiring, training of CI staff and company staff, managing the unit, ethics, communications, IT infrastructure, plus addressing inputs from situation analysis in points 4-7 above?
   
   
10. Define the Action Plans
    
    What, who, when, to undertake the actions necessary to deliver the strategies? How and when will reviews take place?
    
    

Woodlawn Marketing Services is a Melbourne-based consultancy specialising in marketing research and competitive intelligence activity, as a foundation for business and marketing planning.

Contact us for more information.

To find out how we can assist you, complete the Enquiry Form.