What utilities should expect from competitive intelligence

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Fortnightly

OSTI ID:146060

Fuld, L M; Borska, D L ^[1]

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1. Fuld & Company, Cambridge, MA (United States)

Electric utilities are informationally dysfunctional. In a survey of electric utility managers, we found that while employees may possess the necessary information for decision-making, they may not understand how the information is used, why it is important, or who needs to know it. Utility managers feel that their organizations suffer from intelligence deficits in the following areas: (1) Customer Retention-Customer (rather than competitor) intelligence is desparately needed, (2) Competitor Costs-As prices drive markets, utilities must learn how competitors use the technology to gain a cost advantage, and (3) Market Savvy-Recognizing threats means more that just crunching the numbers. It means converting raw data into a strategy that will expose a competitor`s weakness. The complex economics will require companies to apply all types of intelligence to solve competitive problems. This coherent approach requires changes in the way both management and the organization handle vital intelligence.

• OSTI ID: 146060
• Journal Information: Fortnightly, Journal Name: Fortnightly Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 133; ISSN FRTNE8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
COMPETITION
DECISION MAKING
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
INFORMATION
MARKETING