Competitive Intelligence in India
Every company in India monitors competition using either Passive Intelligence and Semi Active intelligence and Human Intelligence
Nobody in India wants to talk about two letter word ie CI. They do not call it competitive intelligence.
Leading companies monitor the environment through open source emissions through Financial Times, Economic Times etc.
Every leading business house watches business news channels.
Scanning of the environment is done using External Auditors, Internal Auditors, legal experts.
All management tools such as Five Force Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Value Chain Analysis, PEST Analysis are used by employees in the organisations.
Indian businesses derive Low Cost advantage as white collar workers come at lower salaries.
Industry reports are available through FICCI and CII
FICCI membership has over 1500 corporates and over 500 chambers of commerce and business associations, FICCI espouses the shared vision of Indian businesses and speaks directly and indirectly for over 2,50,000 business units. They monitor the environment and help Indian businesses become competitive.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India, partnering industry and government alike through advisory and consultative processes. CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry led and industry managed organisation, playing a proactive role in India’s development process. Founded over 114 years ago, it is India’s premier business association, with a direct membership of over 7800 organisations from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 90,000 companies from around 385 national and regional sectoral associations.
There are Business Intelligence companies in India who sell softwares to Indian corporates to monitor open source emissions.
There are database providers in India, who sell databases and industry reports and credit reports
Even global companies are hush hush about the two letter word called CI.
Information Warfare is on the rise.
Existence of Information Warfare – Class II
To make sure that the competitor will not be the first in the market with a new product, corporate espionage is on the rise and the need of the hour is to use Competitive Intelligence.
Most companies understand the need for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) but because of the existence of counterfeit brands in the market, the Government needs to take more stringent actions.
Existence of Information Warfare – III level
It is common to see Class III Information Warfare taking place, where a competitor or vested interests may spread information real or fictious to De-Position a competitor and Re-Position their own brand.
Every organisation in India has the eye on the ball. Everybody monitors competitors and undertakes consumer research either in house or it is outsourced.
In the last 5 years, MBA Competitive Intelligence & Corporate Warfare by Amity Institute of Competitive Intelligence, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India has mushroomed to teach competitive intelligence.
Everybody in India practices competitive intelligence in some form or the other but they do not call it CI.
What India really lacks is not Hindsight Analysis but lacks Insight and the ability to Foresee.
Insight is the weakness which Indian companies suffer from, Insight cannot be replaced by business intelligence softwares or artificial intelligence or industry experts or management consultants.
Shortfall is of people who can sift through Micro and the Macro picture and become true competitive intelligence experts.
Again the age old question of whether mind set is important or skill set is important.
Competitive Intelligence is actually Perception driven, either you can use Insight and provide cutting edge Intelligence which is competitive or you cannot.
VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI
Advisor, Corporate Risks