TY  - JOUR
AB  - Market intelligence is critical to marketing strategy planning for
any business. While considerable study has been made of the
intelligence‐gathering practices of large corporations, very little
research has been reported focusing on the competitive information
activities of small businesses. The research involved a survey of small
business owners and managers in South Carolina, USA. The study addressed
three questions: What market intelligence practices do small businesses
use? What market intelligence practices do they think their competitors
use? How important is market intelligence to small businesses? The
market intelligence practices most frequently used are observing
competitors and talking with suppliers or delivery people. Small
business owners were least likely to use practices such as job
interviews or hiring competitors′ employees to gain information.
Respondents perceived their competitors as being more likely to pursue
market intelligence activities. If a firm used a specific practice, they
thought their competitors did also. Among small business owners market
intelligence does not appear to be a critical management concern.
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
SN  - 0263-4503
DO  - 10.1108/02634509110142345
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/02634509110142345
AU  - Folsom Davis
PY  - 1991
Y1  - 1991/01/01
TI  - Market Intelligence in Small Businesses
T2  - Marketing Intelligence & Planning
PB  - MCB UP Ltd
SP  - 16
EP  - 19
Y2  - 2024/04/25
ER  -