Harmonizing Competitive Intelligence

Challenges, Obstacles, Path to Success; Case Study of a Global Corporation, by Jens Thieme - Head of Global Market & Competitive Intelligence.



All companies knowingly or not gather and use competitive intelligence. However, since many larger organizations evolve over time it comes as no surprise that, in the absence of a formal competitive intelligence unit or function, intelligence tasks are also scattered across former and newer departments and are not fully integrated with each other or with common processes. Only intelligence-conscious companies tend to integrate and adjust CI functions along with other organizations. If there is no centralized CI driving force in place the situation might very likely look like this:

  • Smaller intelligence tasks are often embedded in separate business units.
  • Large, strategic intelligence projects might be run behind closed doors of M&A, Finance or Strategy offices and the executive branch.
  • Some non-core units might never engage in any structured intelligence efforts.
  • Various functions like Finance, Legal, Communications, Marketing & Sales might never discuss synergies in their intelligence efforts despite similar sources used.
  • Very likely intelligence training is received ad hoc (if at all) and not to create mutual standards for CI techniques and tools.



The result? Inefficiencies, redundancies, missed opportunities, and business strategies and tactics that do not fully consider the competitive environment. Sound familiar? What you are facing is the classical information-disconnect that might be more common in large corporations these days than the same companies would like to admit. Yet, it seems extremely hard to convince organizations to address this issue.


This case study reflects on a traditional, global industry corporation headquartered in Switzerland. It shows the efforts taken within the first 18 months of a global CI revamp project designed to replace a fragmented intelligence structure by a new hybrid solution. Managed by corporate marketing it should reach deep into the business areas and thus secure support and utilize in-depth business expertise…

  • Where fragmentation comes from

    Fragmentation of intelligence activities does not necessarily mean that an organization is weak or flawed in any intelligence activity. Our company has produced some outstanding intelligence over the decades using great tools and resulting in solid business value.

  • Recognizing the inconvenient truth

    For an organization that focuses on many goals in their chosen activities it is difficult to keep a neutral look into efficiency and effectiveness of most routines and standard disciplines. Intelligence is no exception and you might very likely find senior managers in any organization who are convinced that their intelligence is just what they need.

  • Alert management of shortcomings

    At this point I would like to share some important tactics with you. In order to gain traction and to gather support for any change executives need to be convinced to buy-in. As mentioned earlier in this chapter, working with managers who experienced some of the sh

  • Turning it all around

    In a major effort to address demanding changes in face of dramatic global developments such as crude oil and currency effects as well as strengthened Asian competition and whole market shifts the company started an Operational Agenda. This program was designed to improve marketing & sales operations among other business adjustments such as global SAP introduction, lean manufacturing and mo

  • How to strengthen and enforce

    As mentioned before were are obtaining a hybrid intelligence solution where concepts, strategy, infrastructure and support are provided by the corporate Marketing & Sales Office but market research and analysis are conducted within the business units.

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  • Working with individuals

    You’ll step into many backyards – respect the “owners” integrity and create buy-in. If this all sounds pretty logical and simple, well: it wasn’t. There were road blocks and potential killer criteria for many activities. The more careful preparation tries to address such issues the better the chances for success.

  • Make it easy for anyone involved

    In simpler words: if the scope is not clear, roles not established and targets not formulated (including all measurement mechanisms of course) any effort should be kept low key. Suggesting a dramatic improvement project or any other major change that is based on significant research will most certainly be credited by management right from the start when business interruptions, irritation and c

  • Next steps

    The deployment of a unified repository and news portal, mutual processes to utilize common sets of tools and techniques were only a beginning for our organization. We now need to close educational gaps and extend our array of research and analytical techniques. Maximized impact through world class intelligence production and executives who get used to gauging their business decisions based on

  • About the author: Jens Thieme

    Jens Thieme is the Global Head of Market & Competitive Intelligence with Ciba Specialty Chemicals in Basel, Switzerland. His blend of experience in leadership roles in Advertising & Marketing Communications, Electronic Communications, E-Business and Market Development over the 18 years with this company both in Europe and the U.S. has qualified him to improve the company’s intell