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The value of competitive intelligence is recognized by everyone from CEOs to line managers. However, very few firms actively link their planning process with their competitive analysis. Moreover, managers in those few firms that do have an active competitive intelligence program are often disappointed with the quality of information they receive.

If you need to improve the quality of your competitive analysis effort, this benchmark survey of the most “professional” practitioners of the art of intelligence will guide your program development.

How many companies are truly prepared for the increased competitive threats they will face in this decade? The authors suggest that firms assess the type of internal information infrastructure that makes most sense for their competitive intelligence efforts.

Few scholars have been cited as frequently as Pinto, Slevin, and Prescott for their contributions to project success and related critical success factors (CSF) in the 1980s. Studies since then built on their articles to broaden and refine our understanding of the topic. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the reasons for the impact of these seminal contributions and how the topic of project success continues to evolve.

The paper analyses the popularity of Pinto and his colleagues' contributions to project success and reviews the development of this field of research since then.

Project success remains a vibrant school of thought as do the earlier definitions, measurement scales and dimensions, and assessment techniques that Pinto and his colleagues developed. The authors view success more broadly and think of it strategically because they consider longer‐term business objectives. Some research is now based on managerial or organizational theories and reflects the multi‐dimensional and networked nature of project success.

Practically, the classic contributions in project success continue to be valid. The authors see diversity in how success is defined and measured. The CSFs vary by project types, life cycle phases, industries, nationalities, individuals, and organizations.

The paper relates earlier understandings of project success to subsequent research in the field and underscores the significant findings by Pinto, Slevin, and Prescott.

How and whether the rhythm, synchronization and sequence of firms' M&A and alliance activity over time impact firm performance is our core question. We seek to advance a temporal lens in the M&A and alliance discourse by explicitly incorporating time-associated theories, constructs and methods. A temporal view of M&A and alliance activity requires strategists to study fundamental questions related to when and under what conditions firms should accelerate, slow down and coordinate their M&A and alliance initiatives, whether firms' trajectory of M&A and alliance have discernible and distinctive patterns over time, and whether these initiatives demonstrate a temporal pattern that becomes an integrated part within firms' M&A and alliance routines that create a time-based source of competitive advantage. Using a sample of 57 small to medium-size firms in the global specialized pharmaceutical industry and their M&A and alliance activities for 19 years we find support for our temporal-based hypotheses.

Examines the position of medium‐market‐share companies in relation to their smaller and larger counterparts and compares the inherent competitive advantages and disadvantages. Highlights the options available to such companies attempting to change their position, e.g. increasing market share or concentrating on specific profitable core accounts. Considers the relationship between market share and profitability. Concludes that such companies require product differentiation and a high‐level of customer orientation in order to compete successfully.

Virtually all managers acknowledge the importance of understanding their competition in the marketplace. As a result, interest has grown rapidly in formalizing competitive intelligence activities within companies seeking the competitive edge. Almost any business information can be termed competitive intelligence, depending on how it is used. Most typically, it means any of several different kinds of valuable data on the competition’s finances, manufacturing processes, product lines, promotional budgets, key personnel, and so forth. It also involves and integrates areas like marketing research, strategic planning, technical research, and legal developments.