About SCIP

The Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) is a global nonprofit membership organization for everyone involved in creating and managing business knowledge. Our mission is to enhance the success of our members through leadership, education, advocacy, and networking.

Specifically, SCIP provides education and networking opportunities for business professionals working in the rapidly growing field of competitive intelligence (the legal and ethical collection and analysis of information regarding the capabilities, vulnerabilities, and intentions of business competitors). Many SCIP members have backgrounds in market research, strategic analysis, or science and technology.

Established in 1986, today SCIP has chapters around the world, with individual members in nations around the globe. In addition, SCIP has alliance partnerships with independent affiliate organizations in many countries.

The Need for a CI Community

As an organization of individual CI professionals, SCIP is dedicated to providing you with the training and knowledge to pilot your company towards competitive success while maintaining the highest ethical standards. From educational seminars to networking opportunities, SCIP emphasizes the need for CI professionals to learn from each other and stay aware of the latest developments in information gathering, analysis, and dissemination. Through our special events and publications, SCIP members survey changes in the business environment and know, before anyone else, what lies ahead.

While some decision makers may attempt to sail blindly through the global marketplace, it is the duty of the trained CI professional to show them alternative courses that will avoid potential dangers, and to take advantage of the tactics and strategies that lead to bottom-line success.

Basic FAQ's

What is competitive intelligence?
Competitive intelligence (CI) is the process of monitoring the competitive environment and analyzing the findings in the context of internal issues, for the purpose of decision support. CI enables senior managers in companies of all sizes to make more-informed decisions about everything from marketing, R&D, and investing tactics to long-term business strategies. Effective CI is a continuous process involving the legal and ethical collection of information, analysis that does not avoid unwelcome conclusions, and controlled dissemination of actionable intelligence to decision makers.

Is CI espionage?
No. Espionage is the use of illegal means to gather information. In fact, economic espionage represents a failure of CI. Almost all the information a CI professional needs can be collected by examining published information sources, conducting interviews, and using other legal, ethical methods. Using a variety of analytical tools, a skilled CI professional can fill by deduction any gaps in information already gathered. Promoting CI as a discipline bound by a strict code of ethics and practiced by trained professionals is the paramount goal of the Society.

Are competitive intelligence and counterintelligence the same thing?
No. The term counterintelligence describes the steps an organization takes to protect information sought by hostile intelligence gatherers. One of the most effective counterintelligence measures is to define trade secret information relevant to the company and control its dissemination.

Why is CI important?
The pace of technological development and the growth of global trade mean that today's business environment changes more quickly than ever before. Executives can no longer afford to rely on instinct or intuition when making strategic business decisions. In many industries, the consequence of making one wrong decision may be to see the company go out of business.

Isn't it true that CI is only important for big businesses?
No. Executives at many global companies, like Xerox, IBM, and Motorola, have already realized the importance of CI and have developed their own operations. Nevertheless, small businesses, like large corporations, must compete in the marketplace. It is just as important for decision makers in small businesses to know what lies ahead as for CEOs at Fortune 500 companies.

Is it possible for a company to practice a form of CI without realizing it?
Yes. Any employee who visits a trade show, reads a newspaper, or talks to friends in the same industry is doing research (one of the components of CI). However, other components of CI are often missing in businesses today. CI adds value to information gathering and strategic planning by introducing a disciplined system not only to gather information, but also to perform analysis and disseminate findings tailored to the needs of decision makers.

How does SCIP enter the picture?
The Society (SCIP) is a global, non-profit organization providing education and networking opportunities for business professionals working in the rapidly growing field of CI.

Is CI truly valued in the business community?
Yes. In companies all over the world, SCIP members enable senior managers to make more informed decisions that keep their companies responsive, well positioned, and profitable. In a keynote address to the Society's ninth annual conference Robert Flynn, the former CEO and chairman of NutraSweet, said that CI was worth up to $50 million each year to his company.  The demand for CI professionals suggests that other CEOs agree: The 2006 State of the Art survey indicated that executives use of CI is on a positive trend and that many CI units are now stable or growing.

What is SCIP's standpoint on the spy perception that stigmatizes CI?
CI is not spying. It isn't necessary to use illegal or unethical methods in CI. In fact, doing so is a failure of CI, because almost everything decision makers need to know about the competitive environment can be discovered using legal, ethical means. The information that cannot be found with research can be deduced with good analysis, which is just one of the ways CI adds value to an organization. By joining SCIP, a member agrees to abide by the Society's code of ethics. The code of ethics forbids breaching an employer's guidelines, breaking the law, or misrepresenting oneself.