This study investigates in what extent the competitive intelligence (CI) community makes use of different environmental scanning modes. This study has a quantitative nature and was based on data collected via questionnaires sent to CI professional, being the large majority of them members of the SCIP (Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals). As an outcome of this study, we propose that different scanning mode calls for different intelligence cycles and that the traditional fits in only one of the scanning modes used by one organization. Consequently, new intelligence cycles are proposed so as to match all scanning modes used by the organizations.
Intelligence cycle; Environmental scanning; Decision-making process; Competitive intelligence; Contingency theory
