Do-it-yourself competitive intelligence

A competitor profile is typically based on both secondary (mainly online) and primary (mainly interview) sources. 

Primary competitive intelligence is not something that companies can do for themselves. Respondents are less likely to engage in conversation if the interviewer works directly for a competitor of the company being researched. Employees may not have the skills or flexibility to navigate such research sensitively, ensuring that the target company does not discover they are being profiled (however standard the research, it is preferable to be discreet). Not least, carrying out such research directly is probably against most companies’ policies.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.aqute.com