Premium Essay

Competitive Intelligence Analysis

In:

Submitted By zmason11
Words 739
Pages 3
Mini Cases

NWM:

I believe the software system that best supports the company’s strategy is the “knowledge base and network” management system. The organizations mission is to “Help Clients Achieve Financial Security over a Lifetime.” The description they give for the path of getting there is as follows: “They want to leverage the traditional strengths of customer relationships, expert advice and strong product value to become the premier company helping clients achieve lifelong financial security. They will add specialists that will enable the traditional life insurance sales force to draw upon product and investment experts as needed to address clients increasing complex financial security needs. The knowledge base and networking system will “enable agents to examine the knowledge base for simple issues and bring in (virtually) financial product experts as needed when advising clients.” This system fits perfectly into the balanced scorecard. Under financial, the company wants to manage operating expenses. By only utilizing financial product experts when they are needed, this will allow the company to control costs for their services. Within the customer section of the scorecard, they want to provide expert guidance and needs-based planning. With the knowledge and networking system, they can tailor their approach to each customer individually to provide the best customer service. Under Process, they want to enhance representative productivity. Again, the knowledge and networking system will allow representatives to maximize their resources before bringing in outside financial experts. Lastly, under the Learning and Growth scorecard, the company wants to enhance employee capabilities. The process system I am recommending gives the representatives the freedom and capability to access other financial experts based off the needs and demands of the customers.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Kudler Fine Foods

...premiere gourmet grocery store that offers shoppers the finest baked goods, meats, cheese and dairy, produce items and an assortment of domestic and imported wines. Kudler Fine Foods offers all customers a wonderful shopping experience and the finest quality of foods and wines. Leaving room to expand its current services and opening new locations. The company’s growth span is leading to an increased customer base. Kudler Fine Foods is increasing and looking to drive revenue upward while leaving the current prices as set. Kudler Fine Foods is ready to develop changes to increase their revenue . I will discuss in this paper the important elements needed in Kudler Fine Foods goal towards advancement in marketing and the role of using the competitive intelligence tactics. This could include other ways to successfully achieve goals of growth. Marketing Research “Although marketing research isn’t perfect, it seeks to reduce risk and uncertainty to improve decisions made by marketing managers” (Armstrong, , 2011) . Marketing research can help develop new product ideas and offer a fine tuning in slimming down products and services. Businesses use market research t o help determine who will be interested in purchasing their products and services. Marketing research will reach out to a target group of people based on certain feelings, needs, income and age. Mrs. Kudler conducted surveys to reach out to customer and receive feedback in areas of potential improvements. Pointing them in the...

Words: 963 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mgm Phase 2

...MGM 465 Phase 2 Discussion Board Jamey Lewis Colorado Tech University Online Internal analysis is completed generally at the corporate or tactical operational level (Internal Analysis and your value proposition, n.d.). It is at this level because there is other analysis completed prior to this analysis. Once the analysis is at this level the team will be prepared to dissect it by deciding advantages, disadvantages and what the product will do for the organization. Internal analysis is completed through various methods. According to Digimind, methods such as research and development activities, production methods and costs, organizational structure, financial status, marketing strategies, as well as their strengths and weaknesses (How To Conduct A Competitor Analysis, n.d. ). It is imperative to know who the competitors are. I would also recommend surveying. Surveying consumers and merchants will allow a business to learn likes and dislikes about the competitor. During the internal analysis managers are evaluated to determine what they have to offer. The business is evaluated to in regards to weaknesses and strengths to determine if it is moving in the right direction (Internal Organizational Analysis, n.d.). When internal analyses are not completed honestly and accurately it will affect various portions of the business. Generally, the finances are affected. Finances determine the sustainability of many organizations because of the overhead. When credit is maxed out and...

Words: 433 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Analyziing Your Competition-a Ghanian Case

...Analyzing Your Competition Overview Almost everyone in business understands the principle of trying to offer something better than what their competitors are offering. Gaining an advantage is the key to success and even survival. But many of the so-called advantages that businesses rely on are not sustainable. They can be easily copied, stolen or negated. Real competitive advantages — things like brand name recognition, patented manufacturing processes or exclusive rights to a scarce resource — cannot be easily copied. Every company has a unique set of strengths, and it's critical that you determine yours, as well as your competitors'. Hold a brainstorming session with your staff and advisors to perform a formal SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. This analysis helps you to see how your strengths stack up against your competitors' weaknesses and suggests ways to take  advantage of marketplace opportunities. After you have performed the analysis, there are four basic competitive strategies to consider. 1. Become the low-cost supplier. By under-pricing the competition, you can achieve greater volume, which can drive your costs down even further by realizing economies of scale. Of course, it's important to still maintain a healthy profit margin so the key here is to lower costs, not just prices. 2. Achieve product or service quality differentiation. Think about the hundreds of companies that have achieved such differentiation for themselves...

Words: 10912 - Pages: 44

Premium Essay

Business

...business STRATEGIC AND COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS: Methods and Techniques for Analyzing Business Competition 1 © The MindShifts Group Pty Ltd Page 1 of 5 www.mindshifts.com.au STRATEGIC AND COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS: Methods and Techniques for Analyzing Business Competition By Craig Fleisher and Babette Bensoussan (Prentice Hall, 2002) Book Description Given the priority of competitiveness in modern companies, practitioners of competitive or strategic corporate intelligence (CI) need to come to terms with what business and competitive analysis is and how it works. More importantly, they need to be able to convert the wealth of available data and information into a valuable form for decision-making and action. Collected data must be converted into intelligence. This is accomplished through analysis. Strategic and Competitive Analysis comprehensively examines the wide spectrum of techniques involved in analyzing business and competitive data and information including environmental analysis, industry analysis, competitor analysis, and temporal analysis models. It helps business analysts and decision-makers to draw effective conclusions from limited data and to put together information that does not often fit together at first glance. The Analysis Iceberg Strategic management involves all aspects of a business and requires a knowledge and understanding of the environmental impacts on an organization to ensure that correct decisions are made and taken. It is not just about looking at best fit...

Words: 319 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Strategy

...[pic]Porter's Four Corners Model Porter’s four corners model is a predictive tool designed by Michael Porter that helps in determining a competitor’s course of action. Unlike other predictive models which predominantly rely on a firm’s current strategy and capabilities to determine future strategy, Porter’s model additionally calls for an understanding of what motivates the competitor. This added dimension of understanding a competitor's internal culture, value system, mindset and assumptions help in determining a much more accurate and realistic reading of a competitor’s possible reactions in a given situation. The Four Corners Motivation – drivers This helps in determining competitor's action by understanding their goals (both strategic and tactical) and their current position vis-à-vis their goals. A wide gap between the two could mean the competitor is highly likely to react to any external threat that comes in its way, whereas a narrower gap is likely to produce a defensive strategy. Question to be answered here is: What is it that drives the competitor? These drivers can be at various levels and dimensions and can provide insights into future goals. Motivation – Management Assumptions The perceptions and assumptions the competitor has about itself and its industry would shape strategy. This corner includes determining the competitor's perception of its strengths and weaknesses, organization culture and their beliefs about competitor's goals. If the competitor thinks...

Words: 890 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Kudler

...Kudler Fine Foods After searching for opportunities for a different lifestyle, Kathy Kudler had a vision of opening her own gourmet food department. On June 18, 1998, Kathy Kudler’s first store front of Kudler fine foods opened their doors, in La Jolla, California (Kudler Fine Foods.) Within two years later she open an additional establishment in Del Mar, California, which is within 30 minute distance from the La Jolla Store. Five years later she open a third store located in Encinitas, California. Kudler fine foods’ businesses have been doing great with the exception of one of the stores making enough money to break even. Kathy wanted her store to sell the finer items of the international cultures. Kudler Fine Foods consist of freshly bake breads, the finer meats, freshly organic produce, gourmet cheese, and superior selection of wine. Importance of Marketing Research Kudler Fine Foods is an upscale food supplier that will attract customers who are of a median to upper income. Marketing research is of importance when dealing with this any organization, especially when the products exceed the average price the same items. Kathy would need to know the target market of her customers. The target market consists of the characteristics and dimensions of their present and potential clients. Kathy needs to be aware of the average income of individuals in the area of the store, their lifestyle, population, sex, marital status, and the commute from Kudler fine foods to their home...

Words: 1027 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

A Study on the Effects of Economic War on Organizations from a Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Perspective.

...THE EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC WAR ON ORGANIZATIONS FROM A LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR PERSPECTIVE. Individual Term Paper Table of Contents I. A. 1. 2. B. 1. 2. II. A. 1. 2. B. 1. 2. C. 1. 2. III. A. B. Background of the topic ............................................................................................................... 3 What is Economic War and what are its practices? .............................................................. 3 Pre-technological Era ........................................................................................................... 3 Technological Era ................................................................................................................. 3 How Competitive Intelligence translates into companies’ life? ............................................ 6 As a tool of Corporate Strategy ........................................................................................... 6 As a part of the Corporate Culture ..................................................................................... 6 Economic War and Corporate Culture .................................................................................. 7 Organizational Leadership....................................................................................................... 7 Where Economic War becomes a problem: advocating ethical behaviour ..................... 7 Where Economic War benefits: crisis leadership ......................

Words: 3585 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Kudler Fine Foods

...fine bakery products, meats and seafood, produce, cheese and dairy, and wines. The company wants to expand with a new location. With the expansion, Kudler needs to focus on the marketing strategy and incorporate additional marketing research. Competitive intelligence and analysis helps Kudler redefine the marketing strategy. Importance of Marketing Research According Kerin, et. al. (2009), “Marketing research is the process of defining a marketing problem and opportunity, systemically collecting and analyzing information and recommending actions” (Marketing, 2009, p. 199). Marketing research helps create long-term business plans, launch new products or services, and expand into new markets. Market research determines what the consumer desires in the store and the ranking against competitors. Kudler identifies the market share through research. Marketing research involves five steps. The five steps are defining the problem, develop the research plan, collect relevant information by specifying, develop findings, and take marketing actions (Longmeyer, 2011). Using the five steps of market research identifies the weaknesses and strengths in the expansion development. Additional Market Research For Kudler to remain competitive, they need additional market research in business trend research. Business trend research shows the growth rate and trends in the food industry. Although surveys help determine satisfied customers with the store, customers are not satisfied with...

Words: 701 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Competitive Intelligence Shannon

...Introduction VII. Definition and Examples a. Case I b. Case II c. Case III VIII. Origin of Competitive Intelligence IX. Why Collect Intelligence? X. What is Ethical? XI. Methods of Intelligence Collection XII. What Resources Are Used to Collect Information XIII. How Companies Utilized Collected Information XIV. Keeping Companies Secrets Secret a. Buildings b. Communication Systems c. Administrative XV. Conclusion I. ABSTRACT Intelligence gathering is considered commonplace in corporate America. Companies struggle to maintain the high ground within a competitive marketplace. One source for maintaining an elevated position is through information gathering on competitors, better known as Competitive Intelligence (CI). Collection of this information can be accomplished through numerous means. History has shown that the collection of CI is not a new practice, only that the methods used to collect the information have evolved over the past century. Intense pressure for turning profits, winning contracts, and avoiding expensive research and development costs drive the methods used in CI collection. With an increase in CI collection, companies are required to protect themselves from inside and outside intruders. II. PROBLEM STATEMENT Corporate America has become oblivious to the information being divulged concerning company trade secrets. Corporate intelligence or company espionage has become an all to commonplace art form. Due to increase pressure to...

Words: 7080 - Pages: 29

Premium Essay

Cover Letter

...2013 ------------------------------------------------- Dear Hiring Manager, I am applying for the Competitive Intelligence Analyst position at Google. Working at Google has always been a dream for me and this position excites me further because it involves my passion for research and keeping abreast of the technology industry. I do understand that my career path so far isn’t that of a typical intelligence analyst. However, I believe that many of the skills I gained during my five years as a business analyst are transferrable to this position. In addition, my MBA specialization in competitive intelligence (called ‘business intelligence’ in Thunderbird) and my project at BillingTree has taught me the latest techniques in information gathering. Studying at Thunderbird, which is the #1 in Global MBA, has also helped me appreciate the nuances of working with other cultures, which I am sure will help me in intelligence gathering. Listed below is a comparison of your job requirements and my qualifications: Your Requirements | My Qualifications | * MBA / BA / BS Finance, Economics, Marketing or Liberal Arts, or equivalent practical experience. | * MBA degree with a Competitive Intelligence concentration, BS degree in engineering and five years of business analysis experience. | * 4 years of analytical experience with an understanding of competitive industry dynamics. * Experience analyzing and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative information, identifying...

Words: 592 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Marketing Plan

...............................................................................................6 Key Employee Biographies..................................................................................7 Major Products and Services..............................................................................9 Top Competitors.................................................................................................10 Locations and Subsidiaries...............................................................................11 Rowan Technology Group Page 2 © MarketLine Rowan Technology Group TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPANY OVERVIEW Rowan Technology Group (Rowan) is a consulting firm. It provides market analysis, strategic marketing and competitive technical intelligence for the advanced technology, advanced materials and coatings industry. The company primarily operates in the US, where it is headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois. As a privately held company, Rowan Technology Group is not obligated to release its financial results. KEY FACTS Head Office Rowan Technology Group 1590 South Milwaukee Avenue...

Words: 1270 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Competitive Intelligence

...Competitive Intelligence Term Paper Dr. Ahmed Nassar Prepared by Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed El Mizayen 1. What is CI? he process of collecting and analyzing information about competitors’ strengths and weaknesses in a legal and ethical manner to enhance business decision-making. Competitive intelligence activities can be basically grouped into two main types – 1) Tactical, which is shorter-term and seeks to provide input into issues such as capturing market share or increasing revenues; and 2) Strategic, which focuses on longer-term issues such as key risks and opportunities facing the enterprise. Competitive intelligence is different from corporate or industrial espionage, which use illegal and unethical methods to gain an unfair competitive advantage. Competitive intelligence means different things to different people within an organization. For example, to a sales representative, it may mean tactical advice on how best to bid for a lucrative contract. To top management, it may mean unique marketing insights to gain market share against a formidable competitor. The ultimate end goal of competitive intelligence is to help make better decisions and enhance organizational performance.   While most companies can find substantial information about their competitors online, competitive intelligence goes way beyond merely trawling the Internet, on the premise that the most valuable information is seldom – if  ever – easily accessible online. A typical competitive intelligence...

Words: 1851 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Ukautomotive Industry

...company gain an in-depth knowledge and competitive advantage in the industry. The profile is an assimilation of insider knowledge, market characteristics and economic indicators. It analyzes the critical success factors in the industry – how the industry has evolved and how competitive dynamics have impacted market behavior. Sectional Highlights -- Structure of the industry, market size, and growth rates have been analyzed -- Value chain analysis categorizes the value-adding activities to develop low-cost differentiation strategies -- Trend analysis detects historical patterns that could help in forecasting future demand periods -- Critical issues are reviewed that may become a threat to the industry -- PEST analysis uses a framework of external factors for macro-environmental scanning of the industry to help in taking advantage of opportunities and making contingency plans for threats -- Competitive positioning of the industry leaders has been evaluated in terms of sales, profitability, stock trend and other performance indicators Key Benefits -- Provides input for strategic business planning -- Targets business opportunities & risks -- Exploits competitive intelligence Target Audience -- Investment Managers -- Venture Capitalists -- Management Consultants -- Research Companies -- Other Industry Professionals Contents: 1. Industry Overview 1.1 Industry Structure 1.2 Market Value 2. Industry Characteristics 2.1 Value Chain Analysis 2.2 Key Trends 2.3 Growth Drivers 2.4 Major...

Words: 718 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Proctor & Gamble Competitive Intelligence Case

...Proctor & Gamble Competitive Intelligence Case Tristen Leeder RES/351 January 14, 2013 Instructor: Steve Roussas Abstract In this paper I will show the usefulness of corporate intelligence. While this tool is helpful in making solid business decisions effort needs to go into monitoring of the gathering process. Intelligence gathered by unethical means does more harm to an organization then good. The financial repercussions of involvement in corporate spying are steep, and the damage it does to an organizations reputation can take years to repair. Management teams must continually monitor how intelligence is gathered to make corporate intelligence work for their benefit. Proctor & Gamble Competitive Intelligence Case In spring of 2001 John Pepper, then chair of Procter and Gamble was faced with a dilemma (Tuck School). It had been brought to light that P&G’s competitive analysis department had engaged in corporate spying (CNN). An outside firm hired by P&G had engaged in spying on Unilever, P&G’s main competitor in the hair care industry. According to Jordan and Finkelstein “the spying operation gathered about eighty documents detailing Unilever’s plans for its U.S. hair care business over the next three years, including information on its launch-plans, prices, and margins (Tuck School, p. 1).” In April 1999 John Pepper was the keynote speaker at an SCIP CEO Roundtable, held in Montreal. In his address Mr. Pepper...

Words: 926 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Bus 490 Wk 4 Quiz 3 Ch. 3 - All Possible Questions

...Link Below: http://strtutorials.com/BUS-490-WK-4-Quiz-3-Ch-3-All-Possible-Questions-BUS4903.htm BUS 490 WK 4 Quiz 3 Ch. 3 - All Possible Questions 1) Industry analysis is also referred to as external strategic management audit. 2) An external audit focuses on identifying and evaluating trends and events within the control of management. 3) The aim of an external audit is to develop an exhaustive list of every possible factor that could influence the business. 4) External audits attempt to identify key variables that offer actionable responses. 5) Five major categories of external variables are: 1) economic forces, 2) social and cultural forces, 3) political, governmental and legal forces, 4) technological forces and 5) demographic forces. 6) As many managers and employees as possible should be involved in the process of performing an external audit. 7) To perform an external audit, a company first must gather competitive intelligence and information about social, cultural, demographic, environmental, economic, political, legal, governmental and technological trends. 8) Freund argues that key external factors must not be hierarchical. 9) The I/O approach to competitive advantage advocates that internal factors are more important than external factors in a firm achieving competitive advantage. 10) An economic trend in America is the increasing numbers of two-income households. 11) Economic factors do not have much impact on the attractiveness...

Words: 991 - Pages: 4