Competitive Intelligence:

Research, Resources,
and Strategies
Erin Wachowicz
School of Management Librarian
Center for Science and Social Science Information
Yale University Library

Competitive Intelligence
What it is:
Competitive intelligence is the process of legally and
ethically gathering and analyzing information about
competitors and the industries in which they operate
in order to help your organization make better
decisions and reach its goals.
-

From the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals code of ethics

www.scip.org/CodeOfEthics.php

Competitive Intelligence

Gathering
Information

Analyzing
Information

Utilizing for
Decision
Making

Types of Information
1. Primary Research
Information derived from direct interaction with market
participants:
Conducting customer interviews
Utilizing surveys or focus groups
Field observations or networking at events
Targeted and useful, but time-consuming and expensive
DIY or hiring outside researchers.-based

library

Types of Information
2. Secondary Research
Information that has already been gathered or collected
Government Data
Corporate Filings
Industry & Market Research Reports
Analyst Reports
Resources available through Yale Library.
NOTE: The exact type of information that you are looking
for might not be available through these types of resources.

Types of Information
Company Information
Industry Information
Economic & Socio-Political Environment

Types of Information
Company Information
Financial Information statements, balance sheets, cash flow
Company History
Leadership
Strategy
Analyst Reports
Identify competitors (NAICS/SIC code, products, size)
Public or Private?

Types of Information
Industry Information
Trends & Developments
Benchmarks
Connections to other industries

Types of Information
Economic & Socio-Political Environment
Economic Outlook
Government Stability
Demographics
Regulations impacting industry

http://guides.library.yale.edu/businessstrategy

Erin Wachowicz
erin.wachowicz@yale.edu
203-432-3306