Securing a sustainable competitive advantage is typically the stated aim of most organizations, yet why is it so difficult to achieve? For many firms, enjoying an intermittent period of competitive advantage would be heaven; sustainable is out of the question. The most unique source of competitive advantage nearly always comes from within. It is almost a “Zen moment” when your leadership realizes just how much valuable insight resides within the various elements of the firm if only you could find a way of integrating it. Unique information, tailored to your competitive landscape and appropriate to your business model is lying undiscovered. So how do you find this valuable insight? This presentation outlines how a firm can organize its efforts around a cross-functional insight team and presents a case illustration of one organization which has successfully derived both intangible and tangible results from so doing. Dr. Sheila Wright is Director of Strategic Partnerships Ltd. Since its inception in 1989, executive education, competitive intelligence, competitive analysis and business development projects have been undertaken in UK, USA, Germany, Italy, France, S. Africa, Spain and UAE. Sheila has managed projects for the World Bank, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Food & Agriculture Organization and UK Government Ministries. Sheila’s interests lie in securing improved competitive performance and decision making in firms, an area in which her publications have been widely cited. She achieved an MBA from the University of Warwick, and a PhD in Competitive Intelligence & Insight Management. Dr. Wright will present 30 minutes of thought-provoking ideas on how you, too, can utilize a cross-functional team to deliver a competitive advantage, and will be joined by webinar moderator Dr. Craig S. Fleisher, Chief Learning Officer for Aurora WDC.

1. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
How to Challenge
Assumptions and Surface
Hidden Advantages Using a
Cross-Functional Insight Team
A Complimentary Webinar from Aurora WDC
12:00 Noon Eastern /// Wednesday 10 July 2013
~ featuring ~
Dr. Craig FleisherDr. Sheila Wright

2. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
α Use the Questions pane on your
GoToWebinar control panel and all
questions will be answered in the
second half of the hour.
α You are welcome to tweet any
comments on Twitter where we are
monitoring the hashtag #IntelCollab or
eavesdrop via
http://tweetchat.com/room/IntelCollab
α Slides will be available after the
webinar for embedding and sharing via
http://slideshare.net/IntelCollab
α To view the recording and download
the PPT file, please register for a trial
membership at http://IntelCollab.com.
Questions, Commentary & Content

3. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
Poweredby
Today’s Agenda
 We will examine the potential for Insight Teams to
deliver Intelligence-Based Competitive Advantage
 We will identify the foundations, primary tasks and
processes which drive an Insight Team’s priorities
and discovery task
 We will look at a real-life case illustration which
demonstrates the benefits which Insight Team
activity can have on business performance

4. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Intellectual Capital Generation
Resource-Based View of the Firm
Sense-Making School of Decision Making
Organizational Learning
Creation of Organizational Memory
Prevention of Organizational Forgetting
Knowledge Transfer
Participative Management Style and Culture
Identifying
Knowledge Gaps
Harvesting
Intelligence
Primary TasksFoundations

5. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Exploiting traditional intelligence systems
Identifying current knowledge assets and gaps
Securing touch points with all disciplines
Laying the foundation for a learning organization
Accepting “I don’t know”
Rewarding “I’ll find out”
Identifying
Knowledge Gaps
Harvesting
Intelligence
Primary TasksFoundations

6. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Secure both external and internal sources for
the common good using
Critical Intelligence Portals (CIPs)
and exploit the information flow from those to
ensure timely input into the decision making
process
Identifying
Knowledge Gaps
Harvesting
Intelligence
Primary TasksFoundations

7. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Critical Intelligence Portals
(Acquisition)
Knowledge
Management
System
Management
Information
System
Marketing
Information
System
Competitor
Monitoring
System
Competitive Analysis
(Transformation)
Strategy/Tactics Formulation
(Decision & Action)

8. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Knowledge Management System
Purpose
Structure Internal Information
Capitalise on Existing Knowledge
Alert Decision Makers
Elements
Data Mining
Records Interrogation
Data Warehousing
Organisational Learning
Applications
Knowledge Transfer
Success/Failure Analysis
Creating Organisational Memory

9. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Management Information System
Purpose
Identify External Influences
Identify Sector Level Prime Movers
Alert Decision Makers
Elements
Trends/Industry Change Analysis
Mergers & Acquisition Analysis
Return on Investment Analysis
Divestment/Disposal Analysis
Applications
Forecasting
Simulations
Stakeholder Value Assessment

10. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Marketing Information System
Purpose
Test Beliefs and Assumptions
Predict Activity Outcomes
Alert Decision Makers
Elements
Product and Market Research
Customer Feedback
Marketing Intelligence Reports
Channel Analysis
Applications
Portfolio Modelling
Brand Management
Reputation Management

11. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Competitor Monitoring System
Purpose
Identify Competitor Strategies
Identify Competitor Tactics
Alert Decision Makers
Elements
Disruptive Innovation Signals
New Entrant Analysis
War Gaming
Scenario Analysis
Applications
Competitor Profiling
Predicting Competitive Behaviour
Assessing Competitive Response Options

12. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
KNOWN WITHIN
THE FIRM
UNKNOWN WITHIN
THE FIRM
KNOWN TO
COMPETITORS
Open
Knowledge
Knowledge
Gaps
UNKNOWN TO
COMPETITORS
Hidden
Knowledge
Industry
Threats
Identifying
Knowledge Gaps
Harvesting
Intelligence
Primary TasksFoundations

13. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
KNOWN WITHIN
THE FIRM
UNKNOWN WITHIN
THE FIRM
CLEAR
Known Box
Certain Knowledge
What the organisation
knows it knows
Knowledge Management
System
Blind Box
Known Knowledge Gaps
What the organisation knows
it doesn’t know
Management Information
System
HAZY
Uncertain Box
Unconfirmed Knowledge
What the organisation believes
it knows but may not actually
know
Marketing Information
System
Unknown Box
Unknown Knowledge Gaps
What the organisation
doesn’t know it doesn’t know
Competitor Monitoring
System
Identification of Knowledge Gaps
PLUS

14. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
HIDDEN
Hidden Box
Undiscovered Knowledge
What the organisation
doesn’t know it knows
Insight Team Discovery
Forgotten Box
Old Knowledge Gaps
What the organisation doesn’t
know that it used to know
Insight Team Discovery
EQUALS
Intelligence-Based Competitive Advantage
KNOWN WITHIN
THE FIRM
UNKNOWN WITHIN
THE FIRM
CLEAR
Known Box
Certain Knowledge
Blind Box
Known Knowledge Gaps
HAZY
Uncertain Box
Unconfirmed Knowledge
Unknown Box
Unknown Knowledge Gaps
Knowledge Gaps Insight Team Task Priorities
PLUS

15. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Employers Association Group (EAG)
 Over 100 years old
 Offers commercial business services such as industrial
relations and employment law advice, international
trade and health and safety consulting services,
apprenticeship schemes, an SME training centre and
publishing activities
 300 staff members
 Annual operating revenues of €18 million
Case Example - EAG

16. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
 Initial team members had a strong background in
primary MR and strategic analysis
 Direct report to the Executive GM, Strategy & Marketing,
with substantial budget control
 Positioned as part of a strategic rather than an
operational level, very visible to senior management and
decision makers
 Pooled team skills from marketing, IT, finance and sales
 Responsible for all MR and market analysis tasks
Output and
Results
Three-Year PlanStrategic Review
Insight Team
Formation

17. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
 Rapidly changing, increasingly complex
environment
 Need for EAG to be a trusted expert source of
information for its members
 EAG had to capitalize on its existing knowledge
to transform it into value for its members
 Identify new products which EAG could offer
Output and
Results
Three-Year PlanStrategic Review
Insight Team
Formation

18. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Year 1: Getting the house in order
 Critically analysed past successes and challenges (KMS)
 Consolidated cost base, decreased non-critical expenditures
(KMS)
 Identified market needs, began to speculate (MIS)
 Challenged current understanding of member needs (MkIS)
 Evaluated current channel agreements (MkIS)
 Evaluated competitor offerings (CMS)
Output and
Results
Three-Year PlanStrategic Review
Insight Team
Formation

19. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Year 2: New beginnings
 Restructured product/service offering
 Adopted a new pricing model
 Formed agreements with accredited partners for
outsourcing
 Re-launched the brand
 Further developed CRM capabilities
 Implemented new channel strategies for core products
Output and
Results
Three-Year PlanStrategic Review
Insight Team
Formation

20. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Year 3: Leveraging for growth
 Focused on existing segments and product categories
 Identified growth opportunities through NPD and
acquisition
 Implemented enterprise-wide knowledge assets system, data
warehouse suite of analytical tools and management
dashboards
 Achieved integration into both operational and strategic
planning processes
Output and
Results
Three-Year PlanStrategic Review
Insight Team
Formation

21. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Industry dossiers for strategic targets including:
Industry value chain, market size and character,
penetration of each sector, details of key competitor
offerings, key players in the sector, potential for
partnering/alliances, critical external issues impacting the
sector
Output and
Results
Three-Year PlanStrategic Review
Insight Team
Formation

22. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Output and
Results
Three-Year PlanStrategic Review
Insight Team
Formation
Measurable benefits from:
Tailored product launches, subscription based,
unique services, customer take-up analysis, better
targeted promotional efforts, decreased spend on
external suppliers, increased team productivity,
increased ROI and profitability and, ultimately,
commercial success

23. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Organizational Implications
It’s a two-way street ……. !!
 Requires a well articulated statement of where the
organization wants to be in the future
 Forward-thinking executives prepared to champion the
cause and be patient over when results can be expected
 Willingness to live with ambiguity, learn and evolve
with the process
 Appropriate resource allocation such as time, skilled
people with functional expertise to enable speedy
evaluation of Insight Team findings and timely
implementation of recommendations

24. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
Dr Sheila Wright
Dr Sheila Wright PhD, MBA
Director
Strategic Partnerships Ltd
United Kingdom
Connect with Sheila via:
E-Mail:
sheila.stratpartners@aol.com
Phone: +44 (0)1945 701062
The Intelligence Collaborative is the online learning and networking
community powered by Aurora WDC, our clients, partners and other friends
and dedicated to exploring how to apply intelligence methods to solve real-
world business problems.
Apply for a free 30-day trial membership at http://IntelCollab.com or learn
more about Aurora at http://AuroraWDC.com – see you next time!
Strategic Partnerships Ltd

25. The Intelligence Collaborative
http://IntelCollab.com #IntelCollab
PoweredbyPoweredby
COPYRIGHT AND MORAL
RIGHTS
In accordance with amongst other legislation, the provisions of The
Copyright Designs & Patents Act (1988) we hereby assert our right to be
identified as the authors of the work entitled How to Challenge Assumptions
and Surface Hidden Advantages Using a Cross-Functional Insight Team
All material provided is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced
without the prior permission of both authors, and should that permission be
granted, a clear identification and citation of its source will be required
Dr Sheila Wright and Dr Craig S. Fleisher
July 2013