Sources of Competitive Information

What they say about themselves:

Public

  • advertising
  • promotional materials
  • press releases
  • speeches
  • books
  • articles

Trade Professionals

  • manuals
  • technical papers
  • licenses
  • patents
  • courses
  • seminars

Government

  • SEC reports
  • FIC
  • testimony
  • lawsuits
  • antitrust

Investors 

  • annual meetings
  • annual reports
  • prospectuses
  • stock/bond issues.

What others say about them:

Public

books

  • articles
  • case studies
  • consultants
  • newspaper reporters
  • environmental groups
  • consumer groups
  • unions
  • "who's who"
  • recruiting firms

Trade professionals

  • suppliers/vendors
  • trade press
  • industry study
  • customers
  • subcontractors

Government

  • lawsuits
  • antitrust
  • state/federal agencies
  • national plans
  • government programs

Investors

  • Security analyst reports
  • industry studies
  • credit reports