Analysis and synthesis of competitive intelligence takes place within an industry framework of customers and competitors. It is through the continuous and rigorous benchmarking of performance relative to competition that campaigners can execute effective campaigns.

Perhaps the easiest way to imagine this is to think of sensory deprivation tanks where a person is deprived of all 5 senses. Without any external stimuli the human brain quickly short circuits and begins a quick slide to insanity. In Boyd’s words:

“We need an external environment, or outside world, to define ourselves and maintain organic integrity, otherwise we experience dissolution/disintegration-i.e., we come unglued.”(9)

From a strategic perspective Boyd summarizes this as:

“A game in which we must be able to diminish adversaries ability to communicate or interact with his environment while sustaining or improving ours.” (10)

Market share vectors is a tool vSente developed to measure relative competitive performance. Click here to learn more.

9. Patterns of Conflict. John Boyd. Available at www.belisarius.com
10. Patterns of Conflict. John Boyd. Available at www.belisarius.com