IBN: Defining Excellence in Electronic Recruiting
interbiznet.com

Subscribe

Click On Our Sponsors Electronic Recruiting News'
Recruiter's Toolkit:

An Introduction To Electronic Recruiting

IBN: Defining Excellence in Electronic Recruiting
interbiznet.com

Subscribe





Please Click On Our Sponsors


Please Click On Our Sponsors


Recruiting News for the Human Resource Professional


Please Click On Our Sponsors


Please Click On Our Sponsors



Please Click On Our Sponsors


Please Click On Our Sponsors




 

 

 

Click On Our Sponsors



Click On Our Sponsors





 

 

 

Competitive Intelligence

Introduction

What Are Your Competitors Up To?

If you don't know, chances are they'll win whatever race you're in.

Competitive or business intelligence is the combined process of monitoring and analyzing the external business environment to find accurate, usable information relevant for the decision-making process of your company. The goal of competitive intelligence is not theft but usable knowledge. People interested in their competition acquire a wide range of information in a legal and systematic way. Then they analyze and evaluate the information to gain a clearer understanding of a competing firm's capabilities, structure, culture, behavior, and weaknesses.

Effective implementation of a competitive intelligence plan requires that you know who your competitors are. But it also includes knowing about trends--trends in your industry and trends in the economic, legal, regulatory, technological, international, and political arenas.

To effectively gather information, you need to find sources. Look to business directories, government filings, industry experts and analysts, customers, market reports, local newspapers and libraries, suppliers and vendors, help wanted ads, and the internet. Corroborate information from at least two different sources.

Once you've gathered the information, you need to analyze it before it does you any good. Consider benchmarking, statistical analysis, pricing models, and trend analysis.

Now comes the real work. After you've transformed the data into information, go the last step. Change it into knowledge--something you can use. Ask yourself what opportunities are available based on the information? What holes remain unfilled? What do you need to be wary of? Are your competitors all going in one direction while you're travelling the opposite way? Is there conflicting data and what does that mean to you? Think of how to use the information to adjust your planning and modify how you advertise, market, and price your recruiting services.

Finding Company Information on the Internet

Links to More about Competitive Intelligence

  • Tikkanen-Bradley Consulting offers a clear, easy to follow explanation of how to determine your competitor's profile. They define four main characteristics and methods of dealing with each. For instance, in the pugilistic or aggressive-fighting category, they suggest you find niches where the fighter won't be bothered to go
  • PI Mall is a rather interesting if graphically heavy, self-important site of links to investigative resources
  • Fuld & Company provides more than 300 links to sources for gathering competitive information, including industry-specific links. The site is easy to use, but a few of the links provide very little information
  • IEDN offers a searchable site that deals with competitive intelligence, trade and economic development, and business climates in selected areas
  • The Journal of Commerce is a news magazine of national and international items affecting how business is done. You can see the front page only--unless you subscribe. They offer a free two week trial subscription
  • ISI Emerging Markets provided difficult to find emerging market financial, economic and political news and information. It's available by subscription
  • Trade Port offers a plethora of information about emerging markets and world trade
  • And, of course, if price is no object, get a subscription to the DIALOG databases which contains millions of full text articles from hundreds of journals and newspapers, including PIERS, a Journal of Commerce database with import/export data, which allows you to track the movement of export/import materials from one company location to another company location abroad

Table Of Contents
SEARCH TOOLS
  1. Search Basics
  2. Search Strategy
  3. Company Info
  4. Finding People
  5. Resumes
  6. Web Pages
  7. Usenet
  8. Mailing Lists
  9. Competitors
10. Discussion Areas
11. Cheat Sheet
POSTING JOBS
  1. Master Sites
  2. Free Sites
  3. Usenet
  4. Niches
  5. Writing Postings
ROBOTS & AGENTS
  1. Newbot
  2. Informant
  3. URL Minder
  4. Other Robots
BASIC SOFTWARE
  1. Starter Tools
  2. Browser Tips
OTHER RESOURCES
  1. Salary Surveys
MORE TIPS -TRICKS
 

 
 

Click On Our Sponsors

(c) 1999-2002 All Rights Reserved; interbiznet.com, Mill Valley, CA 94941
415.377-2255 (v) 415.380.8245 (f)
staff@interbiznet.com