Competitive intelligence, market research, and related fields are steeped in methodologies and theory, which forges a direct link to academia, as well as the public-sector intelligence community. To add that dimension to your practice, consider beginning with the following resources:
Harvard Business Review Ideacast is a weekly audio podcast presented by guest presenters from various management fields. Topics cover far-ranging trends and research related to strategy, decision making, competitiveness, innovation, and entrepreneurialism. Many episodes are springboards to wider discussions such as books and lecture series.
Mercyhurst University’s Institute for Intelligence Studies is a combined academic department and think tank that spans the national security, law-enforcement intelligence, and competitive intelligence disciplines. The institute conducts education, research, analysis, training, and consulting in these fields. Of particular note, the Sources & Methods blog is a lively, highly readable treatment of interesting topics.
The Central Intelligence Agency’s Center for the Study of Intelligence provides everything from articles by analysts to materials available through the Freedom of Information Act. As an illustration of what the site has to offer, have a look at the paper, “What I Learned in 40 Years of Doing Intelligence Analysis,” which we often recommend to colleagues, customers, and students.
By Sean Campbell
By Scott Swigart