The Israeli CI Forum (FIMAT) Competitive Intelligence Annual Conference in cooperation with the Israeli Export Institute took place at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv on July 18, 2017 with 125 participants.

1. The Israeli CI Forum (FIMAT) annual competitive intelligence conference 2017
The Israeli CI Forum (FIMAT) Competitive Intelligence AnnualConference incooperation
withthe Israeli ExportInstitute tookplace atthe Dan PanoramaHotel inTel Avivon July18,
2017 with125 participants. Followingthe greetingsof the DeputyDirectorGeneral of the
ExportInstitute Shauli Katzenelson,the conference openedwithashortintroductorylecture
by Dr. AvnerBarnea,Chairmanof the FIMAT, who reviewedthe maindirectionsbythe
currentIntelligence (CI) discipline.
The KeyNote address wasgivenbyFelipe Buzzerio,chairmanof SCIP,whohasextensive
experience inmanagingintelligence units intothe businessfield.The maintheme of
Buzzerio'lecture wasthatcompetitive intelligence isastrategictool forthe service of senior
decisionmakersinthe organization,but italsodealswithtactical matters.In Buzzerio'
opinion,the effectivenessof competitiveintelligenceforabusinessorganizationis
significantlyhigherwhenitcomestoa dedicatedunit whichisfocusedonunderstandingthe
competitivelandscape. Itsmainchallengeistoinfluence throughoutitsprofessional
capabilities.
Later, Maj. Gen.(Res.) AmosGilad,formerheadof the researchdivisionof the Israeli
Military Intelligence spoke onsuccessesandfailuresinthe nationalintelligence sphere,
stressingthatmanytimesthe real challenge isnotingatheringinformationbutinanalyzing
and understandingthe meanings.Andhere,oftenthe problemisintelligencepersonnel
whichare notopen for newinformationandare notopenenoughtochange theirminds.
Thisis due to arrogance, and an approachthat theyunderstandbestof all.The humanfactor
inintelligence isoftenthe cause of intelligence failures.Gen.Giladpresentedanumberof
fascinatingexamples fromthe securityhistoryof the State of Israel.
Thiswas followedbythe Michael BelkineMemorial Prizeceremony,whichwasthe chairman
of the FIMAT,for outstandingresearchpapers inthe fieldof competitive intelligence.The
winnersthisyearare Orna Zeid,adoctoral studentinbusinessadministrationatthe
Universityof Haifa,forherworkon "PreservingandTransferringInternal Knowledge"and
Yochai Avukai,whorecentlycompletedamaster'sdegree inthe Departmentof Information
and KnowledgeManagementatthe Universityof Haifa,forhisworkon "Assessingthe
cognitive effectof variouscyberthreatsandactual attacks." Membersof the Belkinprize
were:RonBelkine (familyrepresentative),Shauli Katznelson,Dr.AvnerBarnea,Prof.
EphraimKahane, andProf.Dafna Raban.
AyeletMendel Girinof the MarketingResearchDepartmentof DiscountBankpresenteda
model of integratedactivityinwhichmarketingresearch,analysisof internal information
(BI) togetherwithanalysisof the competitionenvironmentare taken.The advantage of this

2. model isthatit providesaninputthatincludesthe understandingof the customerstogether
withan examinationof the competitors'movesinordertocreate an integrated view that
helpstomake informeddecisions.
Later, a panel onthe contributionof social mediatocompetitive intelligence activitiestook
place.The subjectwaspresentedbyRavivTal,CEOof Vigo,AlonMulianMichaeli,CEOof
TwistedandIdanFine of CyCurity.The conclusionwasthatcompetitiveinformationfoundin
social mediaisan importantcomponentinunderstandingthe intentionsof competitors and
changesinthe competitive landscape, andthisisanadditional contributiontodecision
makers.The maindifficultyistofocuson significantissuesoutof the vastamountsof
information.
The followingday,onJuly19, 2017, a competitiveintelligenceworkshopwasheldbyFelipe
Buzzerio. The workshophad45 participants.The focusof the workshopwasonthe activity
of an intelligence unitinthe firm.Amongotherthings,a case study analysiswasconducted
withan emphasisonthe intelligence aspects,basedonthe businessactivityof AMAZON.
Dr. AvnerBarnea