Competitive Intelligence: Principles & Practice

Sheila Wright, De Montfort University &
Dr. Craig S. Fleisher, Odette School of Business (Co-Presenter)
Half-Day Workshop

Sheila Wright has been responsible for the introduction, and improvement of, CI practice in several firms, notably, two blue-chip UK companies, a mid-sized UK/US agribusiness, a UK civil engineering firm, a global automobile manufacturer and a US investment management firm.  She is acutely aware of the practical problems facing managers working in CI.  Following 20 years industrial experience where she managed business development projects for the World Bank, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, Food & Agriculture Organisation and UK Government Ministries Sheila now leads the Competitive Intelligence & Marketing Interface Teaching and Research Initiative (CIMITRI) at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.  She holds an MBA from the University of Warwick, is a Chartered Member and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Co-director of the Intelligence Teaching & Research Academic Network (INTRAN).

 Competitive Intelligence: Principles & Practice

Description: 
Most people move into CI after having been successful in another business discipline such as marketing, sales, product development, M&A, R&D, manufacturing, engineering, operations, or finance.  Some may have had exposure to several aspects of a firm's activities and understand what makes a firm "tick."  This Workshop is highly relevant for individuals who are now being asked to extend their influence through CI, are providing intelligence to internal customers, managing CI-related projects, or are acting as a catalyst for information exchange within their organisation.

This Workshop draws attention to the various facets of CI practice such as placing the CI job into context, designing the CI process, conducting a needs assessment, ratifying information, securing senior management buy-in for CI, making the CI-strategy link, implementing information exchange, achieving CI practice across the firm and achieving value-added CI.  Delegates are encouraged to share their experiences and seek solutions to current challenges.

Workshop Goals

• Learn the principles and processes of effective, ethical CI practice
• Understand how to manage expectations of your role within the firm
• Learn how to progress from a data collector to an effective CI contributor