By Bonnie Hohhof Director of Competitive Research SCIP

In addition to evolving in response to the pressures of the rapidly changing business environment, competitive intelligence is changing in response to its own internal growth imperatives. Since its first appearance in businesses as a decision-making support function, competitive intelligence has been in a growth stage, working to find its place in the organizational “family” and measuring itself against its siblings – market research, decision support, etc. Now it’s at the age where it has to find and define itself as an independent entity/individual, creating its own unique place in society and creating its own growth path.

This has been a difficult transition in many respects. Competitive intelligence has faced a Darwinian fight, battling for resources, visibility, relevance and supporters. In many instances it has also tried to distance itself from its close relative – established government intelligence. Like any adolescent, much of CI’s growth has been by trial and error, but over the years it has been guided by many talented individuals who have been deeply involved in its development and have built careers by showing how competitive intelligence can properly strengthen and improve its organization.

Now competitive intelligence is facing a generational change. Our “respected elders” are retiring and new leaders are taking their places in moving competitive intelligence into the future. As an organization, SCIP is also supporting the development of CI into new growth areas. With the recent name change, the association is emphasizing intelligence’s capability to assist senior decision-makers in making better informed decisions and move the business forward. It also highlights the increased level of interaction required between intelligence practitioners and their key clients.

Additionally, competitive intelligence is no longer predominantly operating in the position of developing itself as a “new” function in an “old” organization. It is growing as an integral part of new companies and competitors, working in an environment where everything is innovative, and intelligence starts as part of the organization’s normal support structure. I’m particularly noticing this growth among the “second tier” countries and companies. A significant growth in the SCIP LinkedIn membership is individuals practicing competitive intelligence in countries such as Brazil. Although CI was most likely introduced into the subsidiaries by their multi-national parent, the function is growing along with the “new” subsidiary.

Transitioning through the generational shift is critical to both the association and the profession. SCIP must move through this entrepreneurial growth phase smoothly, evolving from being the “establisher” to the “developer.” Too many intelligence practitioners, for various reasons, display a high level of caution, hesitancy and general lack of risk-taking when faced with the need to expand the influence of their function. Adaptation, responsiveness to change, and a willingness to challenge “how we do things round here” is critical to competitive intelligence success.

It is up to us to understand which information is the right one to leverage, what time is right for the stakeholder, and what communication form we should use with our customers so that we can do a better job at meeting their needs. We must narrow the relationship gap that inevitably exists between decision-makers and intelligence analysts. If you don’t speak the language of your internal consumers, they’re not likely to understand you.

We have a new generation of competitive intelligence leaders who emerge from varied backgrounds, who are starting to take CI and SCIP into new directions and develop new visibility. They are all facing additional intelligence challenges as management’s expectations change: a dramatic increase in the strategic significance of increased client demands, and the expanding importance of early warning and risk management as external uncertainties multiply.

Our key intelligence clients are also increasingly from a new generation. They take as a given a constantly increased speed and complexity in corporate decision-making, where mission critical decisions must be made quickly and the information deluge must be made relevant. Competitive intelligence shows its value by providing skilled filters of perspective, knowledge and focus to give those decision-makers the best opportunity to increase the success of their plans.