Course detail

Competitive Intelligence

FP-PcinPAcad. year: 2019/2020

The course is focused on obtaining of information about competition in legally and ethically way. The aim of the course is to provide students theoretical foundations and methodology necessary for obtaining of information about competition in legally and ethically way. Emphasis is placed on learning the procedures for the analysis of the information obtained as a basic procedure.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Department

Institute of Economics (ÚE)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Students will understand modern approaches and methods for gathering and evaluating information about a competitor, about the competitive environment including the creation of added value which is needed to obtain intelligence. Students will become familiar with the software tools used in Competitive Intelligence. They will also master the protection of business secrets of the company.

Prerequisites

The process of strategic management, business analysis professional environment, analysis of internal company factors, basic computer skills.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lectures consist of an explanation of basic principles, methodology of the discipline, problems and their solutions.
Exercises promote the practical mastery of subject presented in lectures or assigned for individual study with the active participation of students.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Course – unit credit
To obtain the credit it is required:
a) Active participation in the exercises - the teacher evaluates
b) Recognized seminar work.

Examination:
The exam has a written form. Only those students who have written credit in the IS are eligible to participate.
The exam consists of three theoretical open questions, the answer time is 30 minutes. It is evaluated:
a) Proper identification of the problem
b) The method and scope of the problem with emphasis on its explanation.
The answer to each question is evaluated separately. The final score is given by the arithmetic mean. The exam is classified according to the ECTS scale. Incorrect and unreadable responses are considered as inappropriate.

Course curriculum

Introduction
Intelligence analysis information
Competitive intelligence (CI) cycle
Selected methods for CI
Counter Competitive Intelligence (CCI)
Organizational forms of CI
The process of implementation of CI in the company

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim is to enable students to understand the issues of information systems which are necessary to gather information about competitors and equip students with skills for obtaining legal information about competitors and their subsequent evaluation.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Checking the results of independent work on assigned tasks.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

BARTES, F. Competitive Intelligence. Skriptum. VUT v Brně, Fakulta podnikatelská. Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM, s. r o., 2012. ISBN 978-80-214-4613-7.
BARTES, F. Competitive Intelligence. Základ pro strategické rozhodování. Ostrava: KEY Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-80-7418-113-9.

Recommended reading

FULD, L, M., 1995: The New Competitor Intelligence. The Complete Resource for Finding, Analysing, and Using Information About Your Competitors. 1995. 482 p. ISBN 0-471-58508-4.
KAHANER, L., 1997: Competitive Intelligence. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN 978-0-684-84404-6.
LIEBOWITZ, J. Strategic Intelligence. New York: Auerbach Publications, 2006. 223p. ISBN 978-0-8493-9868-1.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme MGR Master's

    branch MGR-PFO , 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

20 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Syllabus

Introduction, definition of CI, basic concepts CI.
Background to CI.
ACH method.
CI Intelligence Process. Basic Intelligence Process CI.
A five-phase model of the intelligence process
Selected CI methods - time analysis, patent analysis.
Selected Methods CI - Cross-Matrix Matrix, Validation of Key Assumptions
Selected CI Methods - Premormal Analysis, What If Analysis
Counter Competitive Intelligence (CCI). Company security policy, company surveillance, information protection, and business secrecy.
CCI Intelligence, CCI Core Intelligence Process, Five-Phase Model of the CCI Intelligence Process (Management, Collecting, Analysis, Actions, Measures).
The process of introducing CI in the enterprise, a news audit.
Forms of CI deployment, CI collaboration with managers, the most common mistakes in introducing CI into an enterprise.
The most common causes of CI failure. Trends in CI development.

Exercise

10 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Syllabus

Seminars are practicing the lectured topics and seminar work.
Topics of exercises:
Analysis of competing hypotheses. (Laboratory CI).
CI methods: cross-matrix impact validate key assumptions
Premortem analysis, time analysis, sensitivity analysis.
ARMS - case study. Credit: Inspection completed tasks, essay submission.