Course detail

Information about competitors

FP-KikPAcad. year: 2025/2026

The subject is focused on the issue of obtaining information about competition in a legal and ethically appropriate way. Students will acquire theoretical backgrounds and methodological procedures needed to acquire and acquire knowledge in the field of preparation and acquiring information about competition. Emphasis is placed on acquiring procedures for analyzing acquired information as a basic procedure of gaining added value forming a new knowledge of a competitor

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Department

Institute of Economics (ÚE)

Entry knowledge

The knowledge of organization and managerial functions of firms (basic level), the knowledge of work with PC and Internet (basic level).

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Course completion:
Credit: elaboration of semester work.
Exam: The exam can have either: a) a written form. The student receives two questions for which he has a limited time to answer. The exam is classified according to the ECTS scale. b) form of test through e-learning. The exam is classified according to the ECTS scale. Students will be informed about the form of the exam at the beginning of the semester.

Completion of the course for students with individual study:
Credit: elaboration of a semester work, which will be sent to the lecturer.
Exam: The exam can have either: a) a written form. The student receives two questions for which he has a limited time to answer. The exam is classified according to the ECTS scale. b) form of test through e-learning. The exam is classified according to the ECTS scale.

Students will be informed about the form of the exam at the beginning of the semester.

Completion of the course in distance form:
Credit: elaboration of semester work.
Exam: test through e-learning. The exam is classified according to the ECTS scale.


Control of results of independent work on specified tasks.

Aims

The aim is to enable students to understand the issues of information systems which are necessary to gather information about competitors and equip students with skills for obtaining legal information about competitors and their subsequent evaluation.
Students will understand modern approaches and methods for gathering and evaluating information about a competitor, about the competitive environment including the creation of added value which is needed to obtain intelligence. Students will become familiar with the software tools used in Competitive Intelligence. They will also master the protection of business secrets of the company.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

BARTES, František. Konkurenční zpravodajství. Tvorba podkladů pro strategické rozhodování podniku. Praha: Grada, 2022. ISBN 978-80-271-3504-2.   (CS)

Recommended reading

FULD, LEONARD, M. The New Competitor Intelligence. New York: 2005. (EN)
KAHANER, L., 1997: Competitive Intelligence. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN 978-0-684-84404-6. (EN)
LIEBOWITZ, J. Strategic Intelligence. New York: Auerbach Publications, 2006. 223p. ISBN 978-0-8493-9868-1.

Elearning

eLearning: currently opened course

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BAK-EP Bachelor's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Syllabus

1. Introduction. The importance of information in a competitive environment.

2. Determining the necessary information for the top management of the organization (KIT determination).
3. Data and information sources (Basic division of data and information sources).
4. Methods of obtaining data and information (Data and information collection phase).
5. Determining the quality of information and its source.
6. Disinformation. Definition of the concept of disinformation, Types of disinformation. Rumor.
7. Disinformation - Detection and identification of disinformation.
8. Disinformation - intelligence analysis of disinformation.
9. Predicting the reaction of a competitor.
10. Trade secrets of the organization. Definition of the concept. Principles of protecting trade secrets of the organization.
11. Organizational forms of the Competitive Intelligence process in the organization.
12. Requirements for personnel provision for the Competitive Intelligence process.
13. International Competitive Intelligence organizations.

Exercise

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. František Bartes, CSc.

Syllabus

1. Introduction, credit requirements, task allocation, ethics

2. Determining the necessary information for the organization's top management (KIT Determination).
3. Methods of obtaining data and information (Phases of data and information collection, Classic methods for collecting data and information).
4. Disinformation (Types of disinformation, Rumor).
5. Disinformation (Detection and Identification of disinformation).
6. Predicting the competitor's reaction.
7. Requirements for staffing the Competitive Intelligence process in the organization (General requirements, Specific requirements).

Elearning

eLearning: currently opened course