Knowledge Management and Competitive Intelligence in SMEs

1. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
Proposal for the Classification and
Categorization of Methods and Tools of
Competitive Intelligence for Innovation in SMEs
Authors: Xavier Gallardo, Joaquim Lloveras
Date: May 2011

2. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
BACKGROUND
o Competitivity, complexity and Innovation in SMEs
 highly competitive environment
 Innovation as an strategic tool for the competitiveness of the companies.
Raymond, L; Croteau A.M (2009) Manufacturing Strategy and Business in Medium Sized
Enterprises: Perfomance Effects of Strategic Alignment
 The need o use of Competitive Intelligence
 Technologic Innovation.
Acs, Z.J; Atudretsch D.B (1990), Innovation and Small Firms
 Focus on the key competences
 SMEs: Complexity level and Business Success
Gottfredson, M; Aspinall, K (2005), Innovation v.s Complexity. What is too much of a good thing

3. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
o Research questions
Q1. "Are there methods of Technology Watch and Competitive Intelligence
suitable to the needs and constraints of SMEs?"... .. " Are there models
of Technology Watch and Competitive Intelligence tailored to the needs
of innovation ...?”
Q2. “Are there systems for measuring the efficiency of using the model in the
organizational and operational areas? How such measurements can be
made?. "
o Initial Assumptions
H1. ""The existing models of CI represent an impact not affordable for SMEs
in terms of the complexity associated process, and to the resources
needed for its implementation and management.“
H2.“There would be no systems for measuring the efficiency of the use of CI
in SMEs, which should be agile, lightweight and adaptable to the specific
operational structure"
BACKGROUND – RESEARCH PROPOSAL

4. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
 Body of Knowledge – SCIP – Prescott (2011)
 Economic Intelligence French System.
(Industry and Commerce Chambers of France www.cci.fr)
 Correlation between, Innovation, CI, and SMEs:
 Innovation and SMEs.
Acs (90), Fritsch (01), Audretsch (90), Gottfredson (05), Raymond (10), Simonen (08), Zahera (96)
 Study of implantation of CI in different sectors cases.
Bulinge (06), Dou (95), Herring (02), Larivet (10), Lesca (03), Prescott (99)
 Proposals of models, techniques and CI facilitators factors in SMEs
Brouard (06), Cubillo (96), Frion (09), González (09), Tanev (08)
 Systems of evaluation and indicators models
Cavaller (06), Fleisher (07), Herring (96), Rigby (01)
STATE OF THE RESEARCH

5. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
 Proposal for the Classification and Categorization of Methods and Tools of Competitive
Intelligence for Innovation in SMEs
I. Classification of CI tasks,
techniques and processes:
7 Areas (CI holistic cycle ):
1. Defining intelligence requirements
and needs.
2. Planning and organization
of resources.
3. Selection of sources, searching and
information gathering.
4. Processing and analysis of
information.
5. Generation of intelligence scores.
6. Dissemination and protection of
intelligence.
7. Feedback and evaluation of
intelligence.
STATE OF THE RESEARCH

6. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
II. Definition of key factors for CI
and Innovation success in SMEs
Based on:
 Key elements for the Innovation
management in SMEs. Dou (99) p.404
 Measure the performance level of
innovation in SMEs. Tanev (08) p.788
 Drivers of the CI in organizations.
González (09) p.53
 Categories of CI needs in SMEs.
Tanev (08) p.789
 ….
STATE OF THE RESEARCH
 Proposal for the Classification and Categorization of Methods and Tools of Competitive
Intelligence for Innovation in SMEs

7. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
III. Classification and Categorization
of methods, tools and processes
of Competitive Intelligence for
Innovation in SMEs
 Individual for each area
 Interconnected between areas..
 FAROUT© Approach
Fleisher (07) .
 Future orientation
 Accurate
 Resource-efficient
 Objective.
 Useful
 Timely
STATE OF THE RESEARCH
 Proposal for the Classification and Categorization of Methods and Tools of Competitive
Intelligence for Innovation in SMEs

8. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
o Research strategy and methodology
 Surveys
 Case study.
 SMEs association in Catalonia region (Spain)
o Current Findings
o S
 Identified key factors for successful implementation of CI and innovation
in SMEs (validating Fase II)
 SMEs based on an innovation strategy should have CI mechanisms
 The CI model to use in an SME is radically different than in a large
company
 CI are the tools that fit the constraints and characteristics of SMEs, and
not vice versa.
 Access to information and CI trough consortia of SMEs
STATE OF THE RESEARCH

9. PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION OF METHODS AND TOOLS OF COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE FOR INNOVATION IN SMEs
DOCTORAT EN PROJECTES D'INNOVACIÓ TECNOLÒGICA EN L'ENGINYERIA DE PRODUCTE I PROCÉS
Thank you !!!