Ci values: the relationship between e-business information and competitive intelligence (ci) in the digital era: studying the ci speed, width, and depth of intelligence in five digital networks

The purpose of this research was to explore, test, and evaluate the relationship between e-business information and competitive intelligence (CI) in both qualitative and quantitative terms. This paper was one of the first studies that investigated how C1 activities traveled in the physical space and cyber space in three dimensions (speed, width, and depth) over five digital networks (Internet, Intranet, Extranet, virtual community and electronic marketplace). The literature review introduced how electronic marketplace evolved from the past in a physical form to the present digital form, and how competitive intelligence became essential in every day business practices for executives and managers. The research design was a multimethod that consisted of a web-and-fax survey, a case study, and several personal interviews. The target respondents were the high-tech executives and managers in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Findings showed that most Canadian executives and managers in Vancouver had little awareness on Competitive Intelligence (CI). Only a few large high-tech companies were practicing CI to increase their competitive ability in the industry; however, many of them were only using physical communication methods to identify needs, collect data, analyze data, and disseminate needs. Electronic or digital communication methods through the five digital networks were not widely used. Most respondents found the Intranet as the most useful communication channels to exchange latest internal competitive information and the Internet as the most frequently used communication channel to search for ad-hoc competitive information outside the companies. The actively linked digital networks are most frequently used to search for competitive intelligence; the passively linked digital networks are less frequently used; and, the e-business applications are the least frequently used. Executives and mangers perceive more CI value in primary, informal, and physical data sources than secondary, formal, and digital data sources. To conclude, CI value means providing top decision makers actionable knowledge in both qualitative and quantitative terms. In the digital world, CI value is about how executives and managers identify, collect, analyze, and disseminate competitive information effectively within and outside their organizations to gain competitive advantage.