Assessing the impact of using the Internet for competitive intelligence

Efficient customer relationship management systems for online retailing: The investigation of the influential factors

In business processes, gaining customer satisfaction is vital for online retailing. In this way, it is necessary to identify the important factors for attracting and retaining customers in online retailing. Many factors are involved in efficient customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Their efficient implementation needs a deep focus on key customers, proper organization, knowledge management, technology, market, sales, ordering, support, and many other factors. Therefore, this paper examines the effective factors (including innovation management, market knowledge, competitive intelligence, entrepreneurship management, stakeholder management, project management, and business project management) on the efficiency of the CRM systems for online retailing. The data were collected from Digikala employees in Iran. Based on Morgan's table (Table A2 (Appendix)), 248 samples were randomly selected, and questionnaires were sent to employees, where 234 were fully answered. Research data and assumptions were evaluated using SPSS and PLS software. Research findings showed that innovation management (ß = .390, t = 6.426, p < .001), market knowledge (ß = .296, t = 4.864, p < .001), and competitive intelligence (ß = .115, t = 2.190, p < .005) directly impact the efficient CRM systems for online retailing. Stakeholder management (ß = .283, t = 9.713, p < .001), project management (ß = .229, t = 5.458, p < .001), and business project management (ß = .544, t = 11.351, p < .001) are also effective through the mediator variable of entrepreneurial management (ß = .143, t = 2.314, p < .005) on the efficient CRM systems for online retailing.

Tailoring competitive information sources to the sequence of dynamic capabilities

Dynamic capabilities are central to firms' strategic decision-making and have received increasing attention in recent years due, in part, to the development of the information society. This research explores how web-based and human information sources interact and advance the development of dynamic capabilities. We use a mixed-methods approach executed in two studies. Study 1 reports insights gleaned from in-depth interviews with 12 senior managers. Study 2 provides the findings from a survey completed by 139 senior managers. The analysis indicates that the use of web-based and human information sources facilitates all dynamic capabilities types – sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring. Furthermore, sensing mediates the effects of the information sources on seizing and reconfiguring. This research highlights the strategic potential of using business information sources to advance dynamic capabilities while differentiating between the most commonly used information sources and inspecting their individual and synergistic effects on the advancement of dynamic capabilities.

Innovation and Competitive Intelligence in Business. A Bibliometric Analysis

The business environment of today is complex and dynamic due to increasing global competition. The businessman needs to master and know all the information that has strategic value, and Competitive Intelligence is positioned as the most appropriate tool to achieve this goal. In recent decades, research and publications related to Competitive Intelligence have been increasing, although the military heritage of this field of research and the association with large corporations has meant that the literature is still at an early phase of development and specialisation. This paper analyses scientific articles on Competitive Intelligence from journals in the Web of Science database between 1985 and 2021. The main objective of this research has been to detect the topics that have been most related to Competitive Intelligence. The 589 papers analysed indicate that interest in this topic is relatively recent and that the most central topic in the sample is Innovation. The bibliometric analysis carried out indicates that Competitive Intelligence is closely linked to innovation processes in companies, facilitating its development. Furthermore, it highlights the importance that business management, together with the promotion of absorptive capacity and alignment around Competitive Intelligence will allow companies to improve their competitive advantages, as well as greater success with new products. Little research was found on aspects related to small and medium-sized enterprises and patents in relation to Competitive Intelligence. This research aims to show which are the most researched topics in relation to Competitive Intelligence, so that it can serve as support for future research, as well as for company managers in making decisions in relation to this topic.

The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility Practices and Environmental Factors through a Moderating Role of Social Media Marketing on Sustainable Performance of Firms’ Operating in Multan, Pakistan

This precise study performed a focalized investigation to examine the association of environmental effects, new product development performance, superior customers’ value, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) on sustainable performance. This research study aimed to investigate how social media marketing application moderates the association between corporate social responsibility and sustainable performance of the firms located in Multan Division, Pakistan. This study applied a simple random sampling approach to execute this research, and the authors sent a questionnaire with an invitation letter and informed consent form to 752 respondents. Based on 548 valid responses from the targeted population, the first step was to screen and analyze data through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS-V25) and the Smart PLS V-3.2.8. The results indicated that corporate social responsibility presented a positive impact on firms’ sustainable performance. The findings also revealed that social media marketing tools moderated the relationship between CSR and sustainable production of business firms. As a final point, the study only included respondents from Multan Division, therefore, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other Pakistani business firms. The implications of this study may provide further directions for researchers and academicians to consider the larger sample size and the addition of new variables in other regions worldwide. The findings are useful for filling the gap between the relationship of environmental effects, CSR, and social media marketing application to calculate the sustainable performance of business firms.

Strategic Uncertainty and Firm Performance: The Mediating Role of Competitive Intelligence Practices

This study aims to identify the strategic roles of competitive intelligence and to examine the mediating effect of competitive intelligence practices on the relationship between perceived strategic uncertainty and firm performance. Data are collected from 123 public listed companies in Malaysia using mail questionnaire survey. The study highlights the essential role of competitive intelligence in supporting strategic decision making and strategic planning as well as in identifying opportunities and threats. Results reveal that perceived strategic uncertainty relates positively to competitive intelligence practices, which in turn, relates positively to firm performance. This paper includes implications, limitations, and recommendations for future studies.

Product Comparison Networks for Competitive Analysis of Online Word-of-Mouth

Enabled by Web 2.0 technologies social media provide an unparalleled platform for consumers to share their product experiences and opinions---through word-of-mouth (WOM) or consumer reviews. It has become increasingly important to understand how WOM content and metrics thereof are related to consumer purchases and product sales. By integrating network analysis with text sentiment mining techniques, we propose product comparison networks as a novel construct, computed from consumer product reviews. To test the validity of these product ranking measures, we conduct an empirical study based on a digital camera dataset from Amazon.com. The results demonstrate significant linkage between network-based measures and product sales, which is not fully captured by existing review measures such as numerical ratings. The findings provide important insights into the business impact of social media and user-generated content, an emerging problem in business intelligence research. From a managerial perspective, our results suggest that WOM in social media also constitutes a competitive landscape for firms to understand and manipulate.

INTERNET-BASED TECHNOLOGY USE AND NEW PRODUCT TIME-TO-MARKET: THE MODERATING EFFECT OF PRODUCT INNOVATIVENESS

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of Internet-based technology (IBT) use during a new product development (NPD) project on new product time-to-market. It is hypothesized that (1) IBT use has a positive impact on new product time-to-market (2) this impact is both direct and indirect (3) the indirect impact of IBT use on product time-to-market is achieved through improvement of communication quality, effectiveness of team learning and level of team integration (4) the strength of these relationships is moderated by the product innovativeness. In order to test the hypotheses, data from 278 NPD projects conducted by Canadian and American manufacturing companies were collected and analyzed. IBT use was found to be a significant contributor to communication quality, effectiveness of team learning, level of team integration and new product time-to-market. Additionally, the results indicate that the relationships are stronger for projects developing highly innovative products as opposed to less innovative products.