Level of importance attached to competitive intelligence at a mass import retail organization
- Authors: Begg, M. , Du Toit, A.S.A.
- Date: 2007-12
- Subjects: Competitive intelligence , Competitive strategy , Competitive intelligence culture
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5715 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3409
- Description: The purpose of this research was to establish the level of importance attached to competitive intelligence (CI) at a mass import retail organization in South Africa. The rationale of CI is to alert an organization about the current situation as it relates to its business environment and competitors, and how these aspects affect the competitive situation. In this article, the value and significance that CI presents to organizations upon implementation are discussed by focusing upon the need for a competitive strategy, the significance of institutionalizing CI, various organizational structure options and the establishment of a CI culture. A survey was conducted at a mass import retail organization to determine the level of importance attached to CI. A total of 107 employees were randomly selected to participate in the completion of a questionnaire. Based on the results, it was found that this organization practised CI, albeit in an informal manner, and it was concluded that there was a relatively high level of importance attached to CI within this organization. However, areas for improvement were identified and a recommendation was made of implementing a formal CI function within the organization.
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Outsmarting the competition : using competitive intelligence in a South African company.
- Authors: Begg, Mohsin , Du Toit, Adeline
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Competitive intelligence
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6194 , ISSN 978-0-86970-661-9 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5273
- Description: The purpose of this research was to establish the level of importance attached to competitive intelligence (CI) at a mass import retail organization in South Africa. The rationale of CI is to alert an organization about the current situation as it relates to its business environment and competitors, and how these aspects affect the competitive situation. In this paper, the value and significance that CI presents to organizations upon implementation are discussed by focusing upon the need for a competitive strategy, the significance of institutionalizing CI, various organizational structure options and the establishment of a CI culture. A survey was conducted at a mass imparl retail organization to determine the level of imparlance attached to CI. A total of 107 employees were randomly selected to participate in the completion of a questionnaire. Based on the results, it was found that this organization practised CI, albeit in an informal manner, and it was concluded that there was a relatively high level of imparlance attached to CI within this organization. However, areas for improvement were identified and a recommendation was made of implementing a formal CI function within the organization.
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Organizational structure of competitive intelligence activities : a South African case study
- Authors: Du Toit, A.S.A. , Muller, Marié-Luce
- Date: 2004-09
- Subjects: Competitive intelligence , Organizational structures
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5717 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3411
- Description: To function effectively in an enterprise, clear objectives must be determined for the competitive intelligence (CI) function and it must be established where the CI unit fits into the organizational structure of the company. There are a number of criteria to consider when deciding where to locate the intelligence function. Factors such as a company’s organizational structure and culture should be considered when making this decision. There is very little empirical evidence on how South African enterprises organize their competitive intelligence activities. To answer these questions, a case study of how competitive intelligence is practiced in Automaker Inc. (a multinational company) is presented.
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The use of competitive intelligence by companies in South Africa as a tool to inform corporate decision making
- Authors: Kloppers, Christo
- Date: 2012-08-27
- Subjects: Business intelligence , Decision-making , Competitive intelligence
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3194 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6608
- Description: To determine the extent to which Competitive Intelligence is used by South African companies to achieve a competitive advantage
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Business intelligence and the telecommunications industry : can business intelligence lead to higher profits?
- Authors: O'Brien, J. , Kok, J.A.
- Date: 2006-12
- Subjects: Telecommunications industry , Business intelligence , Competitive intelligence , Decision support systems
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5711 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3405
- Description: Organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to increase profits as competition in the marketplace continually pressurizes margins. Organizations will have to do more to enjoy sustainable profits in the future and information technology could arguably be the key to assisting management with the task of increasing profits on a sustainable basis. Business intelligence (BI) could be the competitive advantage for organizations to increase profitability. South Africa is faced with an unemployment rate of over 40% and it is not desirable that costs are contained by reducing staff. It is clear that innovative ideas should be looked at to ensure that organizations continue to make profits. Information management programmes offer the necessary tools to ensure that efficient and strategic decisions are made.
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The curious case of Sherlock Holmes and competitive intelligence: applying abductive reasoning to competitive analysis
- Authors: Van der Westhuizen, Janina , Potgieter-Richardson, Andrea
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Competitive intelligence , Strategic analysis , Abductive reasoning
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/407317 , uj:34280 , Citation: Van der Westhuizen, J., Potgieter-Richardson, A. 2019: The curious case of Sherlock Holmes and competitive intelligence: applying abductive reasoning to competitive analysis.
- Description: Abstract: Anyone engaged in the modern business environment, uses some form of reasoning to draw conclusions, while working with a limited set of data. This scenario describes the detective work often employed by Competitive Intelligence (CI) professionals. Despite the fact of being a fictional character, Sherlock Holmes is often regarded as the best detective of our time and his reasoning methods have been used and applied in various fields. The purpose of this study was to investigate which examples of inductive, deductive and abductive reasoning, as identified in 'The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes,' can be applied to the CI analysis process. To identify instances of reasoning, 'The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes' was analysed using thematic narrative analysis. The types of reasoning identified was linked to the CI process to establish how it could be used during the CI analysis process. The analysis of 'The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes' revealed the beloved character's use of abductive reasoning can support every phase and process of the CI function. The findings also suggest that it can be used as a valuable tool to assist decision making and strategic thinking. The researchers also suggest that further research be done on this topic to establish how abductive reasoning methods can be included in the training and skilling of CI practitioners.
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