Answer = d: Employee opinions are probably somewhat subjective and varied; thus they are not very reliable sources for industry analysis.
Mertzer Food Company is facing intense competition in a fast moving global marketplace. Past assumptions for competing no longer hold up and Mertzer management is having trouble making the right strategic decisions. The CEO for Mertzer has asked the Competitive Intelligence Group to develop some alternatives for helping Mertzer react to sudden changes in the marketplace. Which of the following analytical approaches would be most helpful to Mertzer’s situation?
Answer = c: If a company is faced with sudden changes and little reaction time, then you may have to engage in scenario analysis so you have different options and plans for dealing with the abrupt changes.
In an effort to understand an industry, one of the more popular analytical approaches is to look at:
Competitor Profiles
Answer = b: Porter’s Five Forces Model attempts to describe all companies within an industry in terms of: 1) Customers, 2) Suppliers, 3) Substitute products and services, 4) New Competition, and 5) Existing Competition.
Competitive intelligence is not about espionage or illegal activities. Therefore, competitive intelligence should not: