Course detail

Competitive Intelligence

FP-PciPAcad. year: 2013/2014

The course is focused on obtaining of information about competition in legally and ethically way. The aim of the course is to provide students theoretical foundations and methodology necessary for obtaining of information about competition in legally and ethically way. Emphasis is placed on learning the procedures for the analysis of the information obtained as a basic procedure.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Department

Institute of Economics (ÚE)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Students will understand modern approaches and methods for gathering and evaluating information about a competitor, about the competitive environment including the creation of added value which is needed to obtain intelligence. Students will become familiar with the software tools used in Competitive Intelligence. They will also master the protection of business secrets of the company.

Prerequisites

The process of strategic management, business analysis professional environment, analysis of internal company factors, basic computer skills.

Co-requisites

Not applied.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lectures consist of an explanation of basic principles, methodology of the discipline, problems and their solutions.
Exercises promote the practical mastery of subject presented in lectures or assigned for individual study with the active participation of students.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Knowledge is validated by exam that takes place in writing. Student receives three questions whose answers has defined by timeframe. Student´s skills are tested on the elaborating of semester work.
The test is classified according to ECTS.
Requirements for finalization (weight):
- Term paper: 30%
- Final exam: 70%

Course curriculum

Introduction
Intelligence analysis information
Competitive intelligence (CI) cycle
Selected methods for CI
Counter Competitive Intelligence (CCI)
Organizational forms of CI
The process of implementation of CI in the company

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim is to enable students to understand the issues of information systems which are necessary to gather information about competitors and equip students with skills for obtaining legal information about competitors and their subsequent evaluation.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Checking the results of independent work on assigned tasks.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

BARTES, F. Competitive Intelligence. Skriptum. VUT v Brně, Fakulta podnikatelská. Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM, s. r o., 2012. ISBN 978-80-214-4613-7. (EN)
BARTES, F. Competitive Intelligence. Základ pro strategické rozhodování. Ostrava: KEY Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-80-7418-113-9. (EN)

Recommended reading

FULD, L, M., 1995: The New Competitor Intelligence. The Complete Resource for Finding, Analysing, and Using Information About Your Competitors. 1995. 482 p. ISBN 0-471-58508-4. (EN)
KAHANER, L., 1997: Competitive Intelligence. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN 978-0-684-84404-6. (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme MGR Master's

    branch MGR-PFO , 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

20 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Syllabus

Introduction. The strategic importance of information and intelligence, the definition of CI, CI basic concepts, CI international organizations, CI as a system application discipline, 1. and 2. degree of CI.
Intelligence analysis information. (Analysis of competing hypotheses, hypothesis generation strategy, the most common errors)
Information CI cycle. Basic cycle CI reportig, five - phase model of intelligence cycle (management, collection, processing).
Information CI cycle. Basic reporting cycle CI, five - phase model of intelligence cycle (analysis, distribution).
CI Selected methods. Approach of selecting appropriate methods. Structured brainstorming, cross-impact matrix, key assumptions check, identifiers, premortem analysis.
CI Selected methods. Time analysis, patent analysis, text and content analysis, strategic war games, sensitivity analysis, structured self-criticism, “What if” analysis.
CI Organizational forms External department, internal department, research organizations, mirror organizations , shadow organizations ,competitors monitoring departments in practice of foreign companies, Spefis .
Counter Competitive Intelligence (CCI). Company Counter Intelligence,company security, information protection and privacy, company business secrets, misinformation.
Counter Competitive Intelligence (CCI). Counter Intelligence company protection, CCI five phase model of intelligence cycle (management, collection, analysis, action, action).
The process of implementation CI in the company. Implementation forms, cooperation with CI department managers, the most common mistakes in implementing CI into a company.

Exercise

10 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Andrea Krýslová

Syllabus

CI ethics (seminar, semestral project task).
Analysis of competing hypotheses. (CI laboratory).
CI methods: cross - impact matrix, key assumptions check.
CI methods: Premortem analysis, time analysis, sensitivity analysis.
ARMS - a case study.