LIS 5553: Competitive Intelligence

Course Catalog Description:

An introduction to competitive intelligence in various contexts, appropriate for non-profit and for-profit environments. Topics will include developing and implementing the intelligence process, accessing and validating sources, information gathering, auditing, and decision making, with special emphasis on strategies, systems, and ethics in competitive intelligence.

This course introduced me to the process of competitive intelligence gathering in both a non-profit and for-profit environment.

Learning objectives addressed:

• Understand the use of technology in the process of discovering information
• Become familiar with best practices
• Improve advocacy skills and understand its relation to libraries
• Learn techniques for planning and development
• Understand best practices for offering of reference services including accessibility

Assignment

With a heavy emphasis on readings and discussion this class introduced us to the literature and gave us the opportunity to apply concepts of CI. For this example I selected a response to a discussion post assignment. This assignment gave me the opportunity to incorporate my international studies background and make an effective argument by applying CI concepts. Please find it presented as a Google Document below.