Recently, CI Division Chair Victor Camlek was interviewed by Information World Review in an article that traces the development of the CI role and shares insights into the future of the field:
"There was a time when a dedicated CI team would read thick books and visit libraries for research. Then came the specialists, who provided online tools so expensive that only a privileged few could afford it. Victor Camlek, vice president of market intelligence for Thomson Reuters' health and science business, says: "In 1993, as web went commercial, CI skills were found more commonly." According to Camlek, the online liberation of information has enabled more professionals to engage in activities previously restricted to a CI team."
"With the internet becoming most valuable for obtaining information, experts see the web as the next major phase in the evolution of CI. Camlek says: "Within the web, it will be the social media space and semantic search as the next phenomena in CI evolution."
"Some experts think of gathering and validating information as just the initial steps in CI. For them, knowledge management (KM) is equally important and very much integral to CI. "Unless professionals have the ability to accurately communicate the intelligence to the business development or management team, the information collection is futile," says Camlek."
The article provides a good overview of the skills and tools a CI professional should possess, and is a worthwhile read for information professionals who may consider transitioning to a CI role. You can read the full article here: Act smart on competitive intelligence.
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