Supervisor opinions of the competitive intelligence process in Latvia

Summarising the results of the focus group discussions, it was found that group members representing company managers of various industries greatly appreciate the role of CI and its added value in ensuring the successful operation of a company.

An example from the discussion that reflects the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee I.(11): ‘Managers’ aims are long-term activities.’

Participants expressed the opinion that information obtained as a result of intelligence of the competitive environment is important for calculating the strategies for company development, for example:

Interviewee A.(7): ‘Everything is focused on more efficient management, earning a profit and "wise"

investment.’

Other participants also agreed with this conclusion, believing that definition of strategies is the preserve of senior management level, and timely provision of information is undoubtedly important.

The discussion revealed that information obtained in the CI process is important when specific methods or techniques that offer competition to your product or service are identified.

An example from the discussion that reflects the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee R.(16): ‘Information obtained as result of CI affects the definition of pricing strategy, the marketing strategy and the offer.’

Interviewee A.(15): ‘Strategy is a systematic study of market changes.

Some participants revealed that they systematically follow the information on competitors' technologies, thus estimating competitors' financial resources and development, for example:

Interviewee K.(17): ‘Competitors' technical support is an indicator of serious financial coverage.’

The participants’ answers showed that managers in Latvian companies appreciate information obtained as a result of the CI process. Managers revealed that company values and competencies are described and identified in comparison with competitor values and competencies in the respective industry. An absence of experience and required competencies are assessed in comparison with competitors' capabilities and activities. Any company's capacity to penetrate a new market is where competitors' intentions and potential in this market niche are known.

A topical issue of the discussion was that of the formulation of a request for specific information. Some participants emphasised the fact that formulation of a request for information is the most significant part of the CI process.

An example from the discussion that reflects the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee A.(8): ‘It should be precisely formulated what goal we want to achieve with this information.’

They expressed the belief that a manager must create a dialogue on demand, rather than provide a simple confirmation of the need. If the request for information is inaccurate or poorly focused, competitive advantages may be threatened or considerably restricted.

The group members revealed that the range of themes for gathering information is vast, starting from general statistics, financial indicators, staff and customers, to national economic indicators, for example:

Interviewee A.(19): ‘The competitive environment should be studied globally and not in detail.’

The discussion revealed that there is a customer database at each company; in turn, data describing the competitive environment are not permanently stored or gathered in the database of a particular company.

Interviewee A.(18): ‘Information is processed by management, it is not stored anywhere.’

Data relating to the competitive environment are primarily obtained from databases describing a company's business, financial indicators, duration and range of products or services. Information connected with the competitive environment is obtained as required, focusing on a specific problem, and is more associated with a product or a service. Depending on the nature of the problem, certain

referring to the problem; however, such practice can be observed in Latvia companies. A longer information collection period is required for ‘becoming distinct and recognizable’, and in such cases, several departments should be involved, for example, the Marketing Division and the Technologists Division.

Interviewee K.(17): ‘For intelligence of competitive environment, it would be better to select an organisation directly dealing with environmental monitoring and to withdraw from competitive intelligence management at the company.’

Summarising the discussion results, most of the participants (14) revealed that, in their company, there is a particular strategy for how to follow market changes, and they believe that they gather information on a regular basis. Other participants admitted that information-gathering occurs, but irregularly. The discussion revealed that executivesoften become engaged in the gathering of information.

Examples from the discussion that reflect the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee A.(14): ‘CI is a manager's personal experience.’

Interviewee G.(10): ‘The manager is more concerned about the CI process.’

Some managers stated that when taking decisions, they are not sure the received information is reliable and that the source of information is appropriate.

Examples from the discussion that reflect the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee D.(1): ‘The employee shall be controlled and the information obtained by him/her shall be verified.’

Interviewee I.(11): ‘An employee cannot be concerned 100% in the process of CI.’

Interviewee K.(17): ‘Managers are result-focused.’

Interviewee A.(19): ‘The manager sees the situation in its entirety.’

Therefore, board members, the Strategic Director, owners etc. are nominated as the main persons involved in the gathering of information.

An example from the discussion that reflects the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee A.(14): ‘CI is A manager's mission, since the manager makes decisions and is responsible for them.’

When changes are implemented, managers take the initiative and the responsibility, while employees are in the role of followers. However, all members of the group agreed with the statement that the CI

An example from the discussion that reflects the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee D.(1): ‘It is substantial to develop specific steps of the process in order to distribute responsibilities."’

The discussion revealed that information is mainly disseminated through the organisational levels according to its content, but some participants emphasised the fact that movement of competitive information should take place only at the level of senior management.

Examples from the discussion that reflect the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee A.(15): ‘Manager should be responsible for the whole work of the organisation, but employees' functions are specific and restricted.’

Interviewee I.(11): ‘Employees are not competent to use the whole information.’

Interviewee D.(1): ‘The subordinates are already provided with sufficient information in order to fulfil their direct responsibilities.’

The group members were of the same opinion that the current situation in Latvia and worldwide means that companies increasingly think about their loyal and reliable staff; however, it is not easy to motivate staff to become loyal employees. During the discussion, the opinion that a loyal and reliable employee keeps to a ‘framework of rules’ established by company culture, and also has a correct and favourable attitude towards the organisation, was expressed.

Employees are the main assets of a company, and they will always be, if the head of the company is capable of creating an organisational atmosphere that stimulates cooperation, mutual trust and knowledge turnover, and encourages employees to follow ethical standards or community of values. The discussion revealed that such changes can occur within an organisation if there is a greater focus on organisational culture.

Examples from the discussion that reflect the aforementioned aspect:

Interviewee A.(7): ‘At present, there is not enough time to pay all attention to organisational culture;

there are other problems, for example, how to sell products in view of the global political situation.’

Interviewee G.(10): ‘It is clear that more attention should be paid to relationships with employees, but also employees need to understand that they are part of the company’ or ‘organisational culture is created by its participants, and anyone is able to change it.’

Interviewee A.(8): ‘The procedures do not include all possible solutions; there are non-standard situations, which cannot be foreseen.’

The group members were of the same opinion that the senior management of each organisation plays an important role in ensuring that the staff support the CI process, because organisational culture is not only a system of formal and informal regulations. Deliberate measures for its creation help an organisation to advance its competitiveness in the market.