Competitive intelligence information management and innovation in small technology-based companies

In this article we examine how (i) company type and (ii) the competitive intelligence information used by small technology-based companies affect their innovation performance. The focus is on the specific information types used and not on the information sources. Information topics are classified in four groups-customers (10), company (9), competitor (11) and industry (12). The sample consists of 45 small new technology-based companies, specialized suppliers, and service companies from a variety of sectors-software, photonics, telecommunications, biomedical engineering and biotech, traditional manufacturing etc. The results suggest that the total number of intelligence information topics companies use to make decisions about innovation is not associated with the number of their new products, processes, services and patents. Therefore the companies in our sample do not seem to have the resources, processes or value systems required to use different competitive intelligence information when making decisions on innovation or may rely more on their own internal logic than on external information. Companies are classified using a Pavitt-like taxonomy. Service companies are considered as a separate company type. This allows for explicitly studying both, the innovative role of new services in product driven companies, and the role of new product development in service companies.