While a business degree is certainly not required in order to break into and be successful at CI, business acumen and industry knowledge certainly are. Have a look at some of the CI job openings posted on the SCIP site to get an idea of what employers are looking for, and to see if you have the skills to make it in the Competitive Intelligence field.
Competitive Intelligence & Business Resources on the Web
For those librarians interested in finding out more about CI, try the following resources:
Competitive Intelligence on the Internet begins with Fuld's Internet Intelligence Index which contains hundreds of links to quality CI resources. Also, check out Fuld's CI Strategies & Tools, which includes an Intelligence Dictionary containing over 100 terms, the Intelligence Pyramid which is a great way to learn the basics, and CI Success Stories.
Another great resource is the Society for Competitive Intelligence Professionals, including their publication Competitive Intelligence Magazine. The Association of Independent Information Professionals may also be of interest.
Next, try globalEdge from Michigan State University's Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER).
Be sure to have a look at Brint's Business Technology Portal, and Hoover's Online, which is a great source for finding information on a specific competitor. Also, the Edgar Database can provide valuable information on companies.
And finally, books on CI that may be helpful include:
Online Competitive Intelligence : Increase Your Profits Using Cyber-Intelligence. Helen P. Burwell, Facts on Demand Press, 1999.
Millennium Intelligence : Understanding and Conducting Competitive Intelligence in the Digital Age. Jerry Miller, CyberAge Books, 2000.
Competitive Intelligence: Knowledge Sharing and Information Analysis for Improved Business Decision Making. Michelle and Curtis Cook, Kogan Page, 2000.
See also my article How to Find Company Information on the Internet
New resource from Factiva and Fuld & Co: Competitive Intelligence Center
Spies Like You by Stephen Solomon, eCompany Now, June 2001
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