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Offering regional and national programs, CIO (and CSO) events bring together some of the most respected names and thought leaders in information technology and security. Presented by CIOs and other senior level executives, these invitation-only programs offer timely topics and strong networking. Learn More »

 
CIO Executive Council
A Peer-Advisory Service and Professional Association for CIOs

Mid-Market CIO Panel: Tips and Techniques for Improving Vendor Relationships

July 15, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM U.S./Eastern (GMT-4)

We'll highlight relationship priorities and best practices identified in a Council study, and we'll interact with a CIO panel on the approaches they've used to improve strategic vendor partnerships.

Secrets of Successful Vendor Contract Negotiations for the Mid-Market

Sept. 10, 2009, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM U.S./Eastern (GMT-4)

On this free public Council teleconference, Matthew A. Karlyn, attorney at Foley & Lardner in Boston, will share tips on negotiating tactics and new, creative contract terms to help mid-market CIOs make better deals.

Executive Competencies Assessment Tool

Assess Your Business Leadership Skills with the Council's new benchmarking tool. Rate yourself in change leadership, strategy, customer focus and more.

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Book Review: The Secret Language of Competitive Intelligence

Getting the best of your rivals requires understanding what they’re up to.

 

July 15, 2006CIO

One of the biggest challenges managers face is figuring out what the competition is up to, according to Leonard Fuld, a consultant on competitive intelligence. In his new book, The Secret Language of Competitive Intelligence, Fuld explains how to analyze information about the competition to obtain insight and advantage over rivals.

Fuld contends that the information one needs to stay ahead of competitors is everywhere. Competitors reveal more information now than ever before, through online archives of their annual reports, press releases and PowerPoints detailing company strategy. But while the Web contains lots of intelligence gems, it is also a source of misinformation and confusion. The key to developing insight into one’s rivals is knowing how to use the data you find. Transforming information into intelligence is an art form, says Fuld, involving creativity, critical thinking—and prompt action once you’ve obtained a worthwhile insight.

One way to turn information into intelligence is by developing scenarios in which you imagine what your company might do in response to its rivals. Fuld provides examples of how companies can use competitive intelligence both offensively and defensively. Google, for example, needs to be prepared for how Microsoft might react to what it does, because now that Google is a public company, Microsoft and other rivals have greater access to information about its intentions.

Finally, he advises, companies need to have more than one strategy for each action they anticipate rivals will take. Using competitive intelligence effectively means more than guessing what your rivals will do; it means being prepared for what they might do.

© 2008 CXO Media Inc.
 
 
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Webcast with Dan Vesset: Investing in Business Analytics Technology

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Enterprise Cloud Computing: Ready for Primetime?

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BSM in the Field, Practical Insights from Peter Armaly

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