We are faced with a potential embarrassment of riches as the discipline of intelligence is now spreading fast across the commercial sector. This presents rewarding opportunities for those working in this field as companies identify the value of intelligence in delivering a competitive advantage and a proactive stance towards risks and opportunities. There is a realisation that a clear understanding is required of what has happened, is happening and is going to happen to make good business decisions, and that those outcomes can be delivered by intelligence.
However, there is a conundrum to be solved. This upturn in the use of intelligence is often not matched by an understanding of its concepts and pitfalls.
The origins of intelligence work are in the defence and government sectors, and this remains where many new ideas are developed for this discipline, driven through the necessity of dealing with fast moving conflict situations. In this arena, intelligence specialists exist at all levels of command and are the backbone for decision-making and operations. The concept is to support colleagues across all facets of the organisation. This could be identifying the threat to computer systems, an adversary’s decision-making cycle or the risk to supply lines; in essence, providing the knowledge necessary for making the right planning decisions. This requires skill in the diagnostic collection of information from sources and the ability to understand what has been collected, and also importantly the expertise to fill knowledge gaps and to produce quantifiable assessments.
Many businesses, to their detriment, have not adopted a recognisable intelligence model. Intelligence can be used as a buzzword for being up-to-date and on trend, perhaps with little substance behind the title. Sometimes intelligence is promised when, in effect, the delivery is solely open source internet research. That is not to say that open source research is not part of today’s intelligence work, but merely to suggest that it is only a fragment of the overall capability available to business.
As stated above, intelligence should create for the decision-maker an understanding that is quantified, assessed and in context. It should enhance the appreciation of past events, put into perspective what is currently happening and have a predictive view on the future.
Intelligence output, if businesses are not careful, can become safe, bland and generic. Some culprits can be seen employing young university graduates, or interns, with little or no training to churn out “intelligence” reports to customers. This is not the fault of the individual, but intelligence can be so much more.
Image by courtesy of Vic
It can also be too easy to subsume the intelligence effort within other departments such as security, government relations, corporate affairs and business development. This will inevitably lead to a conflicting and confusing picture for business executives as non-specialists from across the company collect their own lines of information, only then to interpret it in their own way. Would you use the HSE manager to run your sales team, or your marketing executive to manage your manufacturing plant? Would you not employ specialists in this key area of your business? An independent and central intelligence function feeding all areas of your business not only is the most efficient way forward, but makes financial sense as well.
Intelligence, without overstating matters, is a game changer for business. But it cannot be in name alone.
Is your intelligence team working efficiently? Could they be more productive and enhance your business model? To find out more about what QRO Global could do to assist your business or to learn more about the types of projects that we have worked on in the past, see our Services Page or email us today – info@qro-global.co.uk
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