GIA White Paper Explains How to Turn Data into Insight

Online, October 2, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Sixty-four percent of companies with world class market intelligence functions centralize their intelligence functions, compared to 57 percent in the average company, according to the 2013 Global Market Intelligence Survey. This requires sophisticated management of intelligence processes that enable the gathering of data, analysis and subsequent dissemination of useful insights across offices and functions.

The latest white paper "Intelligence Process -Turning Data into Insight" by the strategic market intelligence and advisory company, Global Intelligence Alliance (GIA) seeks to demystify how this is done in companies with world class market intelligence.

Written for managers responsible for market intelligence (also known as competitive intelligence or business intelligence in some countries) in their organizations, this white paper demonstrates:

1. How to develop the market intelligence process
2. The importance of needs analysis
3. How to map out decision points in the business processes that require market intelligence support
4. The importance of removing bottlenecks from the market intelligence process
5. Four case studies on how various companies have managed their market intelligence processes

The white paper explains that intelligence process should always be anchored to existing corporate processes, such as strategic planning, sales, marketing, or product management. In practice, the utilization of the intelligence output should either link directly to decision-making situations, or the intelligence output should help facilitate awareness in the organization of opportunities and threats in its business environment.

It goes on to state that the intelligence process comprises of 90 percent human activity. Understanding the needs in any intelligence assignment is linked tightly to understanding the company's business. Collecting data from the appropriate sources calls for expertise in data sourcing, however automated the eventual data gathering may be. It states that people are key to effective intelligence processes, as turning data into analytical conclusions and delivering those effectively requires intimate business knowledge and consultative skills.

The white paper can be downloaded from the GIA website for free.

The full 2013 Global Market Intelligence Survey can be downloaded for free from http://bit.ly/GIAmiS

For further information, visit the www.globalintelligence.com or send an email to [email protected].

About Global Intelligence Alliance
Global Intelligence Alliance (GIA) is a strategic market intelligence and advisory group. GIA was formed in 1995 when a team of market intelligence specialists, management consultants, industry analysts and technology experts came together to build a powerful suite of customized solutions ranging from outsourced market monitoring services and software, to strategic analysis and advisory.

Today, we are the preferred partner for organizations seeking to understand, compete and grow in international markets. Our industry expertise and coverage of over 100 countries enables our customers to make better informed decisions worldwide.

www.globalintelligence.com

About the Global Market Intelligence Survey
The 2013 Global Market Intelligence Survey measures the state of market intelligence around the world. It is the sixth in a series of such surveys by GIA.

Over 1,200 decision makers and market intelligence managers from over 880 companies and 64 different countries took part in an online questionnaire between February and April 2013, making it the largest study on market intelligence to date. The survey results are useful for any company that wishes to benchmark its market intelligence capabilities against its peers and competitors around the world, in the face of increasing competitive pressures.

The full results are available upon request at info(a)globalintelligence.com.