Written for planning professionals in corporations and the nonprofit sector, this book addresses the need for adequate competitive intelligence. Types of corporate planning are examined and practical, detailed advice on using CI techniques to make planning more effective are offered. The book begins with an overview of CI and business planning, subsequent chapters address procedures involved in using CI. Each chapter includes a list of key references. The book concludes with a glossary of terms and four appendixes that deal with the CI process as a whole. Business Information AlertWritten for planning professionals in corporations and the nonprofit sector this volume addresses a critical facet of the business planning process: the need for adequate CI (competitive intelligence). As the authors note at the outset, a business cannot develop a sound competitive strategy without reliable CI, nor can it expect to apply that strategy without an ongoing CI effort. Improved Business Planning Using Competitive Intelligence examines the types of corporate planning and offers practical, detailed advice on using CI techniques to make planning more effective.The authors begin with an overview of CI and business planning, focusing on such areas as the phases of CI, the importance of planning, the basic requirements of planning, the types of CI available, and the ways in which CI can be injected into corporate strategy formulation. Subsequent chapters address the actual procedures involved in using CI: gathering and analyzing data, recognizing disinformation, integrating CI into business planning, supplementing business planning with CI, shadowing markets, and defending one firm from another's CI efforts. Each chapter includes a list of key references. A glossary of terms and four appendices dealing with the CI process as a whole complete this indispensable contribution to the literature of corporate planning.