Previous studies have shown that information regarding competitors has great value for organizations, especially in terms of strategy, making strategic decisions, strategic plans, development of resources, innovation and change, etc. However, most studies tend to investigate competitive intelligence rather than competitor intelligence. Competitor intelligence may be an important factor for organizations to include in their strategy building but too few focus on its impact on such process. Therefore this paper modified one of the strategy tools which are utilized in the strategy building process of organization by including competitor intelligence, with the aim at having a better understanding how competitor intelligence has impact or contribution to the process of strategy building. The modified model shows that with the presence of competitor intelligence, the reliability and feasibility of strategic options are improved to achieve a competitive strategy, which facilitates to enhance competitive advantage and sustainability of the organization.

Att upprätthålla en god affärsetik är viktigt för många företag, eftersom det skapar ett för- troende hos intressenter i olika led. För att inta en stark ställning på marknaden krävs även att företagen är konkurrenskraftiga. Ökad konkurrenskraft kan fås genom konkurrentbe- vakning, då information inhämtas från konkurrenter. Dock saknas det tydliga regler huruvida informationsutbyte omfattas av artikel 101.1 FEUF, som reglerar konkurrensbe- gränsande företeelser på marknaden. Kommissionen har meddelat att artikel 101.1 FEUF bör omfatta informationsutbyte, ef- tersom det kan påverka ett företags självständighet att ta beslut. Detta har även fastslagits av domstolen och artikeln måste därför anses omfatta informationsutbyte. För att artikeln ska bli tillämplig måste ett avtal, beslut av företagssammanslutningar eller samordnat förfa- rande föreligga, en situation mellan konkurrenter, påverka handeln mellan medlemsstater och avtalet ska ha ett konkurrensbegränsande syfte eller faktiska eller potentiella konkur- rensbegränsande effekter. I kommissionens riktlinjer ges en viss vägledning om hur en be- dömning ska göras huruvida uppgifterna får utbytas enligt artikeln. Hänsyn ska bland annat tas till hur aggregerad och gammal den är, marknaden och hur ofta informationen utbyts. I enlighet med gällande rätt får information inhämtas från konkurrenter på ett sådant sätt att det inte begränsar konkurrensen vilket innebär att företag bör undvika att ingå alla for- mer av avtal om informationsutbyte. Det är förenligt med artikeln att inhämta offentlig in- formation och delta vid mässor och branschorganisationer. Uppgifter som får inhämtas är offentliga, gamla och aggregerade uppgifter som inte går att härleda till en specifik aktör och som inte påverkar företagens självständighet att ta strategiska beslut. Dock råder en del osäkerheter vad det gäller bedömningen av de olika faktorerna och för att minska osäker- heten på området krävs tydligare regler och riktlinjer. / To maintain high standards of business ethics are important to many companies, because it creates trust among stakeholders at different levels. To hold a top position on the market also requires that company are competitive. Greater competitiveness can be obtained by competitor intelligence, when information is obtained about competitors. However, there are no clear rules whether article 101.1 TFEU, which regulates competitive restrictions, co- vers the exchange of information. The Commission has noted that article 101.1 TFEU should include exchange of infor- mation, because the exchange can affect a company's autonomy to make decisions. The Court has also established this and because of that is it to consider that the article includes exchange of information. If the article shall be applicable an agreement, decisions by asso- ciations of undertakings or concerted practices need to exist, between competitors, affect trade between Member States and the agreement must restrict the competition. Guidelines written by the Commission gives some guidance how the assessment whether the infor- mation can be exchange according to the article. How aggregated and old the information is, the market and the frequency of the exchange shall be take into consideration when a decision is made. In accordance with applicable law exchange of information from between competitors should be made in such way that it does not restrict competition. Companies should avoid entering into all forms agreement regarding information exchange. According to article 101.1 FEUF it is consistent to gather public information and participate in trade exhibi- tions and trade associations. Data that may be collected are public, old and aggregated data that can not be traced to a specific operator. However, there are some uncertainty regard- ing the assessment of the various factors and to reduce the uncertainty in this field clearer rules and guidelines are necessary.

The research focuses on the utilisation of open-source information in augmentation of the all-source counterespionage endeavour. The study has the principal objective of designing, contextualising and elucidating a micro-theoretical framework for open-source environmental scanning within the civilian, statutory counterespionage sphere. The research is underpinned by the central assumption that the environmental scanning and the contextual analysis of overt information will enable the identification, description and prioritisation of espionage risks that would not necessarily have emerged through the statutory counterespionage process in which secretly collected information predominates. The environmental scanning framework is further assumed to offer a theoretical foundation to surmount a degenerative counterespionage spiral driven by an over-reliance on classified information. Flowing from the central assumption, five further assumptions formulated and tested in the research are the following: (1) A methodically demarcated referent premise enables the focusing and structuring of the counterespionage environmental scanning process amid the exponential proliferation of overt information. (2) Effective environmental scanning of overt information for counterespionage necessitates a distinctive definition of ‘risk’ and ‘threat’, as these are interlinked yet different concepts. It is therefore asserted that current notions of ‘threat’ and ‘risk’ are inadequate for feasible employment within an overt counterespionage environmental scanning framework. (3) A framework for overt counterespionage environmental scanning has as its primary requirement the ability to identify diverse risks, descriptively and predicatively, on a strategic as well as a tactical level. (4) The degree of adversity in the relationship between a government and an adversary constitutes the principal indicator and determinant of an espionage risk. (5) The logical accommodation of a framework for overt counterespionage environmental scanning necessitates a distinctive counterintelligence cycle, as existing conceptualisations of the intelligence cycle are inadequate. The study’s objective and the testing of these five assumptions are pursued on both the theoretical and pragmatic-utilitarian levels. The framework for counterespionage, open-source environmental scanning and risk assessment is presented as part of a multilayered unison of alternative theoretical propositions on the all-source intelligence, counterintelligence and counterespionage processes. It is furthermore advanced from the premise of an alternative proposition on an integrated approach to open-source intelligence. On a pragmatic-utilitarian level, the framework’s design is informed and its application elucidated through an examination of the 21st century espionage reality confronting the nation state, contemporary statutory counterintelligence measures and the ‘real-life’ difficulties of open-source intelligence confronting practitioners. Although with certain qualifications, the assumptions are in the main validated by the research. The research furthermore affirms this as an exploratory thesis in a largely unexplored field. / Thesis (Ph.D)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Political Sciences / Unrestricted

Arivia.kom was formed out of a merger of the information technology (IT) departments of Eskom, Transnet and Denel. The aim was to address skilled staff losses and to achieve economies of scale. Agreements were drafted ensuring arivia.kom business patronage for a period of five years. Arivia.kom's commencement was accompanied by problems, affecting its customers to the extent that they indicated dissatisfaction with performance. This study established the extent of those problems, and the reasons for their occurrence. A market analysis was conducted with specific focus on customer and competitor analysis. An investigation was conducted into the quality of service, overall customer impression of the organisation since its inception, as well as performance against competitors. The major findings indicated that performance problems were not isolated incidents but consistent across the organisation. These problems stemmed from poor organisational design, poorly evolved organisational culture, unclear positioning and poor competitor and customer intelligence capability. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Arivia.kom was formed out of a merger of the information technology (IT) departments of Eskom, Transnet and Denel. The aim was to address skilled staff losses and to achieve economies of scale. Agreements were drafted ensuring arivia.kom business patronage for a period of five years. Arivia.kom's commencement was accompanied by problems, affecting its customers to the extent that they indicated dissatisfaction with performance. This study established the extent of those problems, and the reasons for their occurrence. A market analysis was conducted with specific focus on customer and competitor analysis. An investigation was conducted into the quality of service, overall customer impression of the organisation since its inception, as well as performance against competitors. The major findings indicated that performance problems were not isolated incidents but consistent across the organisation. These problems stemmed from poor organisational design, poorly evolved organisational culture, unclear positioning and poor competitor and customer intelligence capability. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)