SET UP

Various types of intelligence

Technology Intelligence consists of a set of techniques designed to systematically organized the collection, analysis and distribution of the processed technical information that is useful for backups and for business growth.

Competitive Intelligence helps to determine the active approaches, development actions, deployment into other activity areas and sectors, patents, and research on direct and indirect competitors. It lets us know more about the sales and distribution techniques of the competitors as well as their advertising policies.

Marketing and Sales Intelligence is designed to collect, process and distribute information on the products and markets. It is therefore closely linked to launching new products and finding new markets. It also concerns the observation of customers, suppliers, subcontractors and retailers.

References:

Carlo Revelli, "Intelligence stratégique sur Internet," published by Editions DUNOT

Yves Lasfargue, "Techno mordus, Techno exclus," published by Editions d'Organisation

Daniel Rouach "La veille technologique et l'intelligence économique".

The various stages of setting up an intelligence system

1) Before even beginning the research and collection stage, it is indispensable to establish a set of detailed specifications in order to clearly define the actual needs for information and the objectives to avoid becoming overwhelmed by an enormous quantity of information that is not always pertinent.

2) Next, the sources of information to be utilized must be determined:

Make the distinction between:

· information derived from formal sources that are usually found in one of the following media: press, reports, surveys, databases, or Internet

· information derived from informal sources that are primarily verbal and arise in personal networks developed over time: suppliers, customers, competitors, trade fairs, exhibitions, colloquia, electronic discussion forums, study tours, etc

This phase must be handled by Internet information experts

3) A distinction needs to be made between existing information and the information to be researched to meet a specific need.

4) You have to know how to process the information in order to speak of pertinent information

· validation phase (reliability analysis and pertinence analysis)

· information processing phase (digitization, indexing, bibliometric analysis, semantic analysis)

· development and summary (transformation of the collected data into pertinent information that corresponds to the initial specifications.

5) Storing and distributing the information

This stage is particularly important within the scope of a virtual workspace.

It can be realized by means of internal communications tools such as intranet and/or electronic forums.

We speak of things such as strategic intelligence added value chains to refer to the process that lets us transform raw data into pertinent information and then into information that is useful to decision-makers and virtual staff members.

All of these stages can be accomplished using the NTIC module.

Conditions for success

Strategic Intelligence is often under the responsibility of the manager even if it is done by another person because one of the successes of intelligence resides in its proximity to the decision-makers, to the extent that it determines business decisions.

· Managers have to consider intelligence as a distinct management function in its own right.

· Good internal communications: a transversal type of organization of the intranet type, in which people work on projects, will increase the effectiveness of the intelligence.

· Be willing to devote time, actual means and a real budget to the intelligence system.

· A minimum of structure: information becomes more valuable when the business has a structured framework with clearly identified people responsible for functions.

· A solid team spirit: "If decision-makers don't show those doing the intelligence work the usefulness of their collecting procedures, the system quickly falls apart".

Source: New plant in 1996