News and Events: OI in the News

Outward Insights Managing Partner Receives CI Profession's Highest Honor

Managing Partner Ken Sawka is the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals' 2010 Meritorious Award recipient.  Since 1989, SCIP's annual awards program has honored individuals for their outstanding efforts and achievements in the field of competitive intelligence.  The Meritorious Award is the highest professional honor bestowed by the Society.  Through it, SCIP recognizes the accomplishments of a single individual who has made significant and meritorious contributions to the field of competitive intelligence.  The award acknowledges Ken's advancement of the development and application of intelligence analysis to strategic decision-making throughout his career in both the government and private sector.  Ken has been generous in sharing his knowledge with other CI professionals through his teaching and authorship.  For over 12 years, Ken regularly wrote a SCIP column on intelligence analysis and recently edited the Society's book Starting a Competitive Intelligence Function. To read more about the SCIP 2010 award recipients, click here.

Partner at Crumpton Group LLC, Joins the Outward Insights Advisory Board

The Outward Insights Advisory Board provides expert vision, commentary, and advice to Outward Insights consultants and our clients.  We are pleased to add Rodney Faraon, Partner, Crumpton Group LLC to the Advisory Board. Rodney brings nearly 20 years of experience as an intelligence professional in both the private and public sectors.  Before joining Crumpton Group LLC, Rodney was the founding Director of the Walt Disney Company's Global Intelligence Practice.  Rodney also served 14 years with the US Central Intelligence Agency.  To read more about Rodney's expertise, and the role of the Advisory Board, click here.

Tell Us What You Think: The Outward Insights CI Blog

Read our latest thoughts and post your own comments on the competitive intelligence profession.  Recent posts address the intelligence - decision-making link, effective internal marketing of CI reports, and the oxymoron that is "predictive competitor profiles."

Outward Insights Now On Facebook!

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Outward Insights Now On Twitter!

Check out our "tweets" on all matters of competitive intelligence, strategic planning, and whatever else strikes our fancy.  Become a follower today!

Ostriches & Eagles 2008 CI Best Practices Survey

Outward Insights conducted its second “Ostriches and Eagles” CI best practices survey, which gauges the effectiveness and use of CI among US companies across industries.  The first survey was conducted in 2005.  The biggest finding this time around?   more US corporations are using competitive intelligence to drive critical strategic and tactical decisions than ever before, but an alarming number of companies still do not have structured way to deliver intelligence to decision-makers in their organizations. Click here to download the full survey report.

Starting a Competitive Intelligence Function Book Now Available 

The publication, edited by Outward Insights Managing Partner Ken Sawka, is the definitive text for creating, leading, using, and funding a competitive intelligence program.  It shows you how to identify your organization's CI requirements and defines the necessary elements for creating an effective CI function.  This publication provides guidance and information on all aspects of defining and establishing this function, from organizational issues to required resources to internal processes.  It is the third volume in the CI Foundation's Topics in CI series.  Click here to order.