Potential Constraints to the Business Intelligence Unit

As for any business investment area, market & competitive intelligence finds multiple constraints in the market place and internally. Resources, trust, faith into the value proposition, cost implications, staffing, and strategic fit are just a small list of potential constraints.

In order to address internal constraints most effectively the market & competitive intelligence program needs to be visualized at several levels to detect impact and dependencies. An internal project impact mapping should show if there are temporary dependencies to other hot spots within the organization. Making each others goals and influence known between overlapping or synergetic projects and initiatives and work actively on reduction or elimination of dependencies could be one answer.

The same goes for established operations and business functions. Mapping tasks, goals and benefits and thus visualize potential overlap areas and dependencies could unveil additional constraints.

Classical constraints could also be lack of support due to trust and value proposition issues. These should be taken very seriously right from the start, benefits need to be clarified and promoted throughout the organization, especially to management and other decision makers and opinion leaders.

Budgets should be established and confirmed well in advanced, if money becomes a constraint or bottleneck the intelligence effort is in serious danger to get in a downward spiral mode in terms of infrequent cost cuts.