The role of competitive intelligence for US competitiveness

Abstract

AbstractLast summer Judge William Webster, then Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, indicated that the CIA was considering becoming more involved in business and economic intelligence. Their goal was to help increase the international competitiveness of US industries.At the suggestion of Bob Margulies, the Board decided that the Society should develop a position on the involvement of the government intelligence community in international Competitive Intelligence (CI) and Business Intelligence (BI). In January, Bob Margulies, John Prescott, and I met with staff members of the Senate and House Select Committees on Intelligence. They advised us to develop a broader position statement on the importance of business and economic intelligence in competitiveness. We should also recommend what roles all relevant areas of the US Government should play, not just the CIA or the Intelligence Community.Based on these suggestions, John Prescott asked me to chair a task force to develop a position statement for the Society on the role of CI/BI in global competitiveness and what the US Government's role (if any) should be in this regard. Target date for a preliminary draft of the position statement is January 31, 1992.In July, the Society presented testimony to the Ways and Means Committee hearing on Factors Affecting US International Competitiveness. The following testimony, prepared by Mindy Kotler, Jan Herring, and myself, was to be presented by John Prescott. Due to time limitations for the hearing, we were only allowed to submit written copies for the record. Elements of this testimony will be used in the comprehensive position statement. Jim Leonard, Coors Brewing.