Course detail

Competitive Intelligence

FP-PcinKAcad. year: 2020/2021

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.

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 applicable.

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

Examination:
The exam has a written form. Only those students who have a recognized seminar paper can participate.
The exam consists of three theoretical open questions, the answer time is 30 minutes. It is evaluated:
a) Proper identification of the problem
b) The method and scope of the problem with emphasis on its explanation.
The answer to each question is evaluated separately. The final score is given by the arithmetic mean. The exam is classified according to the ECTS scale. Incorrect and unreadable responses are considered as inappropriate.

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.
BARTES, F. Competitive Intelligence. Základ pro strategické rozhodování. Ostrava: KEY Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-80-7418-113-9.

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.
KAHANER, L., 1997: Competitive Intelligence. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN 978-0-684-84404-6.
LIEBOWITZ, J. Strategic Intelligence. New York: Auerbach Publications, 2006. 223p. ISBN 978-0-8493-9868-1.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme MGR-KS Master's

    branch MGR-PFO-KS , 1. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

16 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

Introduction.
The strategic importance of information and intelligence, the definition of CI, CI basic concepts, international organizations CI, CI as system application discipline
Analysis of intelligence information.
CI news cycle. Basic reporting cycle CI.
Five-phase model of the news cycle
Selected methods CI - time analysis, patent analysis, text and content analysis
Selected methods CI - matrix of cross-impact validate key assumptions
Selected methods CI - premortem Analysis, What If Analysis
Counter Competitive Intelligence (CCI). Security policy enterprise security company to protect confidentiality of information and activities of the company trade secrets
Counterintelligence protection enterprise, the basic reporting cycle CCI, five-phase model of the intelligence cycle (CCI management, collection, analysis, action, action).
The process of introducing CI in the company.
Forms implementation, cooperation with the CI department managers, the most common mistakes in the implementation of CI in the company.
Trends in CI

Guided consultation in combined form of studies

25 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

Topics of lectures are as follows:
Introduction.
The strategic importance of information and intelligence, the definition of CI, CI basic concepts, international organizations CI, CI system as an application discipline, 1st and 2nd grade CI.
Analysis of intelligence information.
(Analysis of competing hypotheses, strategy formation hypotheses, the most common errors)
CI news cycle.
Basic reporting cycle CI, five-phase model of the intelligence cycle (management, collection, processing, analysis, and distribution).
Selected methods CI.
Access to the selection of appropriate methods. Structured brainstorming, cross-matrix impact validate key assumptions Identifiers premortem analysis.
Time analysis, patent analysis, text and content analysis, strategic war games, sensitivity analysis, structured self-criticism, what if analysis.
Counter Competitive Intelligence (CCI). Security policy enterprise security company to protect the confidentiality of information and activities of the company trade secrets, disinformation.
Counterintelligence protection enterprise, the basic reporting cycle CCI, five-phase model of the intelligence cycle (CCI management, collection, analysis, action, action).
CI organizational forms. External department, an internal department, research organizations, mirror the organization shadowy organization departments to monitor competition in practice, foreign firms, Spefis.
Counterintelligence protection enterprise, the basic reporting cycle CCI, five-phase model of the intelligence cycle (CCI management, collection, analysis, action, action).
The process of introducing CI in the company.
Forms implementation, cooperation with the CI department managers, the most common mistakes in the implementation of CI in the company.