Competitive intelligence in support of strategic training and learning

Abstract

Uncertainty, turbulence and aggressive competition have become the norm for companies around the world. Hence, the time may have come to reconsider strategic thinking by moving away from the typical head-on and cut-throat approach to competition that is followed by many companies. A more holistic approach to strategic thinking should be the use of strategic training. A holistic approach implies that strategic training is pre-ceded by a competitive intelligence (CI) process to enable decision makers to learn about their emergent strategic environment. Strategic training is aimed on improving the managerial capabilities and competencies of decision makers who are responsible for strategic processes and therefore also strategic thinking. Strategic training will ensure that decision makers are prepared for changes in the emergent strategic environment of companies. Training of a strategic nature ensures that decision makers who function on a corporate strategic level are trained in agreement with the emergent strategic environment of the company. Strategic training therefore has a direct impact on the continued competitiveness of companies. If CI is used to determine the dynamic nature and forces at play within the emergent strategic environment of companies, it will increase the effectiveness of strategic training. The result or effect of strategic training is strategic learning. Strategic learning increases the level of competitive capital of the company. The absence of CI combined with strategic training could impact negatively on the global competitiveness of companies. This is because CI can be used by companies to ensure that their approach to strategic training is aligned with the emergent strategic environment of the company. CI is generally understood as a systematic and structured course of action or process followed by companies to collect, organize, analyse and disseminate information on their competitors and external environment. Adapted from the source document.