Competitive Intelligence Excellence Benchmark: Creating a High-Value CI Function to Drive Better Business Decisions

But the non-traditional competitive intelligence function is often undervalued in corporations, and competitive intelligence leaders often find themselves struggling for attention and resources.

Best Practices, LLC undertook benchmarking research to identify best practices and innovative methods for improving the strategic role and impact of the competitive intelligence function within the bio-pharmaceutical industry. In particular, this report provides benchmarks around the structure and leadership of the competitive intelligence function, key competitive intelligence sources and activities; resource levels, use of third party vendors and requisite employee competencies.

Competitive intelligence leaders can use this report to evaluate and compare the performance of their function against industry standards.

Study Snapshot

Best Practices, LLC engaged 24 Competitive Intelligence leaders from 20 bio-pharmaceutical companies for this benchmarking research. Almost 60% of the participants work in U.S. locations.

Key Findings


1. Reporting: Brand teams, marketing, business development and market research are the primary internal CI customers, in line with this CI function reports to market research at 29% of companies. The CI heads report to vice presidents at 46% of companies.

2. Top 3 Sources and Tools: Participants cited a wide variety of CI sources and tools they must have to do their jobs effectively. Below are the top 3:

• CI vendors
• Industry experts/KOLs and other human contacts
• Pipeline databases

• Competitive Intelligence Pyramid
• Hallmarks of Excellence in Competitive Intelligence Programs
• Structure of Competitive Intelligence (CI) Group
• Decentralization Impact Noted by Benchmark Participants
• Functional Group into which Competitive Intelligence Heads Directly Report at Participating Companies
• Highest Level into which Competitive Intelligence Heads Directly Report at Participating Companies
• Total Number of Full-Time Equivalent Employees (FTEs) Staffed at Participating Competitive Intelligence Groups
• Current Fiscal Year Budget ($US) for Participating Competitive Intelligence Groups
• Budget Allocated to Key Competitive Intelligence Activities
• Top 5 Resources Used for Primary CI Research
• Effectiveness of Primary Research Sources Used by Participants
• Top 5 Resources Used for Secondary CI Research
• Effectiveness of Secondary Research Sources Used by Participants
• Percentage of Intelligence Gathering Work Involving Primary (Field) Research and Secondary (Desk) Research
• Effectiveness of Internet/Online Resources for Collecting CI Insights
• Innovative Practices in Leveraging Emerging Platforms (e.g., Social Media) for Greater / Faster CI Insights
• Top Competitive Intelligence Sources & Tools
• Potential Threats / Opportunities Identified By Competitive Intelligence Function
• Volume of CI Project Requests Received by Each Department
• Average Number of Competitive Intelligence Service Requests Received in a Month by Participants
• Changes in the Number of CI Service Requests Received in the Last 12 months
• Top Activities Performed by the Competitive Intelligence Function
• Competitive Intelligence Output Used for Strategic Decision Making by Participating Companies
• Effective Channels for Capturing CI Insights from Employees who Attend Industry Conferences, Trade Shows, or Meetings
• Mechanisms Used to Collect Critical CI Information from Internal Employees
• Core CI Activities Conducted by Participating Organizations
• Breakout of CI Deliverable Types
• Most Important Employee Competencies for Delivering Maximum Value CI Performance
• Effective Metrics for Evaluating the Performance of CI Personnel
• Primary Customers (High Volume or High Value) of CI Group or Function
• Most Effective Formats for Delivering CI Insights to Internal Customers and Stakeholders
• Effective Methods for Measuring Internal Customers/Stakeholders Satisfaction
• Approaches Used by CI Groups to Promote their Corporate Value and Encourage Greater Usage from Internal Customers
• Best Practices/ Lessons Learned for Creating High Impact and Delivering Real Value to Brand Teams and Other Key Customers
• Participating Organization’s Total Revenues ($US) and FTE Strength Reported During the Last Fiscal Year