The role of strategic intelligence services in corporate decision making

Abstract

Research Objectives

This research was conducted as a case study for XYZ Corporation and its purpose was to describe the role of strategic intelligence (SI) in corporate decision making. I aimed to find out how the case company’s top management makes decisions in their work, to map out the current role of strategic intelligence activities in decision making, and to find suggestions on how SI could assist more in the decision making process.

Methodology

This research was conducted as a qualitative single case study. The case organization is a global, Finnish-based supplier of technology and services for various heavy industries. Thematic interviews were used as the main method for collecting data. The main empirical material of the study consists of 14 interviews with the case company’s top management. The results of a previous internal SI survey were also used as secondary material to improve the analysis of the interviews. In addition, company internal material in the form of internal publications and documents and the company’s intranet was used to provide background information. Analysis for the empirical data was performed by using analytic induction.

Research Findings

The research revealed that Strategic Intelligence (SI) helps to form a big picture of the business environment and to benchmark the company’s operations. It is also a source of forward-leaning information. However, decision makers also need company internal information and tacit external information in addition to the public domain information that SI currently provides. The SI function could be improved through increasing the information flows within the SI network and conducting the analysis in cooperation with experts and decision makers. It was found that SI should interact more with decision makers.