Companies operating in today's unpredictable roller-coaster economy have increasingly turned to Competitive Intelligence (CI) as an effective means of building and maintaining an edge. This book presents leading CI researchers in their own words, revealing their secrets for monitoring competitive forces and keeping on top of the trends, opportunities, and threats within their industries. Author, researcher, and CI pro Margaret Metcalf Carr asked experts from 15 CI-savvy organizations including Fortune 100 firms Compaq Computer, Dell Computer, Lockheed Martin, Merck, and United Technologies to share tips, techniques, and models that can be successfully applied to any business intelligence project. Here are dozens of useful examples of CI research in action and a range of sources and strategies that can help any organization stay several steps ahead of the competition.