Competitive intelligence at LEXIS-NEXIS

Abstract

Hans Gieskes, president and CEO of the LEXIS-NEXIS Group, described the importance of competitive intelligence (CI) to his company and the ways in which CI is used in his rapidly evolving online information market, in a keynote address to the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals' 4th Annual European Conference and Exhibit (held November 4, 1999, in Amsterdam). Some 10 full-time CI professionals are based in various LEXIS-NEXIS business units, and the sales and marketing staffs, in particular, are used to collect competitor data. CI is conveyed through a number of vehicles, including “Rival Reports” and e-mail briefings, as well as through the corporate intranet. CI activities at LEXIS-NEXIS include (1) profiling and monitoring the activities of “traditional” and “nontraditional” competitors, (2) assisting sales by identifying product advantages vs. competitor's offerings, (3) product development support, and (4) alliance and acquisition support. Structured information tools (including the LEXIS-NEXIS database) are employed in conjunction with the corporate intranet to make CI accessible to all employees. At a strategic level, forecasting and scenario analysis are considered key to remaining competitive. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.