SCIP/F&SI -- MOVING FORWARD - Competitive Intelligence2024-03-29T11:00:58Zhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/forum/topics/scipfsi-moving-forward?commentId=2036441%3AComment%3A22556&feed=yes&xn_auth=noMartha, Arik, Bonnie, Claudia…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-27:2036441:Comment:226682009-05-27T01:13:56.520ZKirk Tysonhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/KirkTyson
Martha, Arik, Bonnie, Claudia,<br />
<br />
It is becoming increasingly clear that there are probably not 600 people willing to send an email to the SCIP president to request a special meeting of SCIP. And it may also be difficult to find 150 people willing or able to attend a SCIP special meeting (which would have to be held at least 60 days after the announcement of the meeting, according to the SCIP bylaws).<br />
<br />
So, it appears that our best alternative is to assemble an informal group of interested people…
Martha, Arik, Bonnie, Claudia,<br />
<br />
It is becoming increasingly clear that there are probably not 600 people willing to send an email to the SCIP president to request a special meeting of SCIP. And it may also be difficult to find 150 people willing or able to attend a SCIP special meeting (which would have to be held at least 60 days after the announcement of the meeting, according to the SCIP bylaws).<br />
<br />
So, it appears that our best alternative is to assemble an informal group of interested people at the SLA conference or another venue that might be convenient.<br />
<br />
I agree with Martha that having the meeting at the SLA conference might be a bit soon, but it might be a good start for those able to attend. I regret that I will be unable to attend as I will be in the UK during that time, but I am happy to make a contribution toward the expenses. Kirk, Erik,
this is a contro…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-27:2036441:Comment:226632009-05-27T00:19:58.585ZAndreas Romppelhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/AndreasRomppel
Kirk, Erik,<br />
<br />
this is a control game, and all players have their legitimate interests.<br />
<br />
Whereas board members try their best to control an uncertain situation (and I share the respect you expressed, Kirk), they will also try to control a public discussion on this situation since it influences the expectations and sets the course for the future development of the Society. Which in turn diminishes the elbowroom of the board - not only as the leading unit of a troubled membership but simultaneously…
Kirk, Erik,<br />
<br />
this is a control game, and all players have their legitimate interests.<br />
<br />
Whereas board members try their best to control an uncertain situation (and I share the respect you expressed, Kirk), they will also try to control a public discussion on this situation since it influences the expectations and sets the course for the future development of the Society. Which in turn diminishes the elbowroom of the board - not only as the leading unit of a troubled membership but simultaneously as the team which has to negotiate and to work out a merger. You might try to control a discussion by an invitation to communicate directly with the board, but you won't get the genie into the bottle again.<br />
<br />
Being a board member in times like these looks to me like a game you can hardly win. You could participate in a lively discussion like this - but then you risk the unanimity of the board which is absolutely necessary to preserve actionability. You could refuse to participate in such a discussion (what the board has practised so far) - but then you risk to appear ignorant or unwilling to communicate. You could try to adjust your voices before speaking out - but then you risk to be seen as stolid and slow-going. It does seem telling that the…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-26:2036441:Comment:226602009-05-26T19:57:38.245ZJason J. Tonghttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/JasonJTong
It does seem telling that there is not one single comment on any of the postings about the merger on the SCIP Blog. Perhaps because the postings on the merger from SCIP are all announcements (and pronouncements), not invitations to discussion. Or the feeling that comments will not result in any meaningful response or action.<br />
<br />
My suggestion would be for the Board to solicit comments/questions by e-mail with a set date by which responses would be posted. The Board should then designate a member…
It does seem telling that there is not one single comment on any of the postings about the merger on the SCIP Blog. Perhaps because the postings on the merger from SCIP are all announcements (and pronouncements), not invitations to discussion. Or the feeling that comments will not result in any meaningful response or action.<br />
<br />
My suggestion would be for the Board to solicit comments/questions by e-mail with a set date by which responses would be posted. The Board should then designate a member or members to speak for the Board on an open blog site, be it The Voice or Ning, for any follow-up discussion of the responses.<br />
<br />
This way members can submit input with the expectation that they will be responded to, and Board members can have time to digest and agree on their postions, which will enable them to participate in an open discussion without worrying about mis-representing the Board. Eric and SCIP Board Members,…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-26:2036441:Comment:226542009-05-26T18:47:59.335ZKirk Tysonhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/KirkTyson
Eric and SCIP Board Members,<br />
<br />
With all due respect, many of us Fellows, Meritorious Winners and SCIP members have been trying to communicate with the SCIP Board for many years...at least two decades, in fact.<br />
<br />
We choose at this time to communicate via Ning because past efforts to communicate with the Board have resulted in polite responses and no action. We now invite the members of the Board of SCIP to communicate with us, the members.<br />
<br />
While we respect the hard work the Board has put into…
Eric and SCIP Board Members,<br />
<br />
With all due respect, many of us Fellows, Meritorious Winners and SCIP members have been trying to communicate with the SCIP Board for many years...at least two decades, in fact.<br />
<br />
We choose at this time to communicate via Ning because past efforts to communicate with the Board have resulted in polite responses and no action. We now invite the members of the Board of SCIP to communicate with us, the members.<br />
<br />
While we respect the hard work the Board has put into this latest attempt to save SCIP, we now feel it is time that the Board reaches out to us and not the other way around. So, we respectfully invite the officers and board members of SCIP to communicate with us on Ning. If the board wishes to be as open as possible, then this is the forum for ongoing communications. We've been waiting for a long time for SCIP to reach out to us. This is your opportunity. Kirk and other Ning members:…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-26:2036441:Comment:226442009-05-26T15:47:05.451ZErik Glitmanhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/ErikGlitman
Kirk and other Ning members:<br />
<br />
A different option than getting 600 people is to communicate directly.<br />
<br />
As a member of the The SCIP board of directors, I have been very involved in developing and pursuing our merger discussions with the Frost & Sullivan Institute. As a key part of that effort, I and the rest of the board, have been regularly reading posts on this site, and others, and have been encouraged by the level of discussion and interest expressed. The board members do not post board…
Kirk and other Ning members:<br />
<br />
A different option than getting 600 people is to communicate directly.<br />
<br />
As a member of the The SCIP board of directors, I have been very involved in developing and pursuing our merger discussions with the Frost & Sullivan Institute. As a key part of that effort, I and the rest of the board, have been regularly reading posts on this site, and others, and have been encouraged by the level of discussion and interest expressed. The board members do not post board positions on the Ning site. However, we are trying to be as open as possible and have posted progress updates on the SCIP site at this address: <a href="http://www.scip.org/content.cfm?itemnumber=7481">http://www.scip.org/content.cfm?itemnumber=7481</a>.<br />
<br />
The board needs all the input and suggestions it can get to produce a merger that creates benefits for all SCIP members. The best ways to communicate with the board is through the SCIP merger blog, which can be found here: <a href="http://www.scipblog.org/?p=44">http://www.scipblog.org/?p=44</a> or by direct communication with any of the board members or Ken Garrison. You can reach Martha Gleason at MarthaGleason.SCIPBODChair@scip.org , she will share your input with the rest of the board. Ken is at kgarrison@scip.org. Both Ken and Martha as well as the rest of the board are eager to get your ideas and thoughts on how to keep SCIP relevant to the CI field. Rest assured, the board was elected to serve all of the members, and is looking for the best way to serve all constituents.<br />
Communication directly to the board is the best way to assure that your suggestions are heard, understood and considered in the merger process. Kirk, Arik, Bonnie:
Timing a…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-25:2036441:Comment:225812009-05-25T17:56:27.475ZMartha R. Matteo, PhDhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/MarthaRMatteoPhD
Kirk, Arik, Bonnie:<br />
<br />
Timing and location are fine, though rather soon for a lot of pre-work. I'd be willing to attend, but do not want to attend the SLA. What about tagging such a meeting on to the SLA meeting time- ie, a day before or a day after? [Note- I could only come after June 16.]<br />
<br />
Perhaps some of us could contribute to price of the meeting room? Alternatively, perhaps SCIP could help us get a corporate, government or academic meeting space near to the SLA meeting?<br />
<br />
Perhaps SLA has…
Kirk, Arik, Bonnie:<br />
<br />
Timing and location are fine, though rather soon for a lot of pre-work. I'd be willing to attend, but do not want to attend the SLA. What about tagging such a meeting on to the SLA meeting time- ie, a day before or a day after? [Note- I could only come after June 16.]<br />
<br />
Perhaps some of us could contribute to price of the meeting room? Alternatively, perhaps SCIP could help us get a corporate, government or academic meeting space near to the SLA meeting?<br />
<br />
Perhaps SLA has booked some rooms that it does not need???<br />
<br />
Martha Matteo August:
Right on. The key to…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-25:2036441:Comment:225782009-05-25T17:31:25.493ZMartha R. Matteo, PhDhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/MarthaRMatteoPhD
August:<br />
<br />
Right on. The key to implementing your ideas, however, lies in committed and knowledgeable people to do the digging, suggesting, implementation and upkeep. Also, there is the alerting and educating of the membership.<br />
<br />
<br />
As long as SCIP has to rely on one "IT" staffer, no matter HOW GOOD, this will never happen!<br />
<br />
<br />
So, how can we leverage the volunteers: Kieran Michal Browns, August Jacksons, Arik Johnsons and the many more of you out there who are knowledgeable in this area so as to a)…
August:<br />
<br />
Right on. The key to implementing your ideas, however, lies in committed and knowledgeable people to do the digging, suggesting, implementation and upkeep. Also, there is the alerting and educating of the membership.<br />
<br />
<br />
As long as SCIP has to rely on one "IT" staffer, no matter HOW GOOD, this will never happen!<br />
<br />
<br />
So, how can we leverage the volunteers: Kieran Michal Browns, August Jacksons, Arik Johnsons and the many more of you out there who are knowledgeable in this area so as to a) achieve rapid and effective membership connectivitiy while b) collaborating effectively with SCIP but c) not burdening SCIP staff headcount?<br />
<br />
The model we need is the one which can leverage our volunteer skiiled force, without becoming burdensome to individuals who do have other lives, or running at cross-purposes with SCIP staff, already overburdened. Are there working models from other organizations that members could share to this point???<br />
<br />
WHAT ABOUT A SCPI / IT Community of Practice with the mandate to address the connectivity issue? Once upon a time there was a volunter Web Task Force but many of those folks wound up very frustrated with the limitations imposed upon their options...<br />
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Martha 1. Webinars, especially to op…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-25:2036441:Comment:225762009-05-25T17:15:22.635ZMartha R. Matteo, PhDhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/MarthaRMatteoPhD
1. Webinars, especially to open new markets (Pacific Rim, Europe, Latin America). For materials, we have the wealth of content and authors from the CIF books: Topics in CI (Trade Show Collection, Starting a CI Function, and CTI)- not just the editors, but many of the authors as well.<br />
<br />
To do this well, we need geographically local webinar providers, not those who are tied to US business hours. This has been suggested for over two years, with one SCIP-collaborated pilot for a webinar-based…
1. Webinars, especially to open new markets (Pacific Rim, Europe, Latin America). For materials, we have the wealth of content and authors from the CIF books: Topics in CI (Trade Show Collection, Starting a CI Function, and CTI)- not just the editors, but many of the authors as well.<br />
<br />
To do this well, we need geographically local webinar providers, not those who are tied to US business hours. This has been suggested for over two years, with one SCIP-collaborated pilot for a webinar-based meeting of the Swiss CI Society. Providers (eg Babette Bensoussan) have offered their services. Only need to do it. If these could be LOCALLY MANAGED, with SCIP backing and registration), we might be able to greatly increase this type of revenue.<br />
<br />
2. The CI topics books: Members should be encouraged to buy multiples of these books for their colleagues and clients- not just one for "own library." This might encourage companies and local chapters to invite authors to speak- creating presentation slides and thus, materials for future webinars.<br />
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3. Learn form others on how to advertise a meeting. The "Pharma CI" meeting that meetings in September every year has ALREADY mailed out its very attractive and compelling program (in May). It leverages speakers names (Most from SCIP, of course) and is experiementing with innovative formats and audience participation. Key SCIP sponsors also sponsor this meeting every year and industry specialists are choosing it OVER SCIP for several years running now. Since we have not done industry-specific meetings, perhaps we could co-sponsor??? The organizer has been willing (for several years) to consider profit sharing with the CI Foudation in return for sponsorship. [Legal problems, now solved. were a roadblock in the past but should no longer provide a barrier].<br />
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Perhaps this could be a model to get SCIP into industry-specific meetings without having to totally re-invent ourselves?<br />
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4. What about credentialing? I thought there was a "go" on that in San-Diego. I get FREQUENT requests for such courses. Perhaps some of the involved vendors/volunteers could draft a model to make this happen NOW?? The head of SCIP's Boston Chapter somehow got a CI credentialing program for SLA in a very short period of time. What can we learn from them?<br />
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5. What about organized advocacy? Again, locals volunteers could target a few schools at a time, and a few businesses, to drum up awareness, sales for the CI Topics books and increased memberships. this could be done with the full knowledge of the SCIP staff but INDEPENDENT of them, in terms of having to "backcharge" SCIP staff as overhead to such activities.<br />
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6. If we drop membership rates for individuals, perhaps we wouldn't have to rely so much on individual corporate-paid memberships. In addition, WHAT ABOUT CORPORATE MEMBERSHIPS? Where 5-10 people could be sponsored by the companies at once? There is a "Industry Liaison Program" at MIT that could be a model for such memberships.NONE of the above ideas are new, so IDEAS are not the problem. Implementation is the issue...<br />
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7. Member-generated Communities f Practice, to ioncrease value from SCIP contacts. Again, these could be independent of the SCIP bureacracy but draw upon SCIP meetings as opportunities for in-person gatherings.<br />
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Bottom line: Skilled and experienced volunteers need to be proactive, with SCIP's blessing but NOT its overhead!<br />
<br />
Martha "Express yourself, even if yo…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-25:2036441:Comment:225562009-05-25T11:23:32.190ZEric Garlandhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/EricGarland
<i>"Express yourself, even if you think you're covering old ground. Just because something has been said, it hasn't been said in every way, it hasn't been said to every audience... and it hasn't been said by <b>you</b>."</i><br />
<br />
-Futurist Michel Godet, <i>Creating Futures</i>
<i>"Express yourself, even if you think you're covering old ground. Just because something has been said, it hasn't been said in every way, it hasn't been said to every audience... and it hasn't been said by <b>you</b>."</i><br />
<br />
-Futurist Michel Godet, <i>Creating Futures</i> This has been mentioned many…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2009-05-25:2036441:Comment:225122009-05-25T04:51:06.721ZAlli Marshallhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/AlliMarshall
This has been mentioned many times in many different discussion threads on this forum; and within this thread with Arik's question "is CI is a profession?"<br />
<br />
So my 2 cents is no more than repetition -- but I think that one of the most important things that SCIP needs to do to move forward is to reach a position of extreme clarity on what competitive intelligence is. To draw some lines in the sand that can be understood by people within, but even more importantly, by those outside of SCIP.<br />
<br />
For…
This has been mentioned many times in many different discussion threads on this forum; and within this thread with Arik's question "is CI is a profession?"<br />
<br />
So my 2 cents is no more than repetition -- but I think that one of the most important things that SCIP needs to do to move forward is to reach a position of extreme clarity on what competitive intelligence is. To draw some lines in the sand that can be understood by people within, but even more importantly, by those outside of SCIP.<br />
<br />
For instance, in Vivek's post on <a href="http://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/forum/topics/benchmarking-cia-competitive">benchmarking the CIA</a> -- he lists potential competitors / collaborators to CI as the following:<br />
<br />
1. Market Research agencies<br />
2. Management consultant agencies<br />
3. Business Intelligence agencies<br />
4. Knowledge Management agencies<br />
5. Credit Reporting agencies<br />
6. Private Investigation agencies<br />
7. Database providers<br />
<br />
We need to be able to clearly articulate what our relationship is to these fields and their practitioners and what gap SCIP is filling vs. other associations such as the ones August mentions -- SLA, AMA, foresight associations, business strategy associations...<br />
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Even if our knowledge domain is very similar to another association's we could still fill a unique space in terms of the services we provide to our membership and/or the members that we choose to serve.<br />
<br />
I'm sure that all the great discussion around the member segmentation within SCIP will be helpful to look at what CI is and isn't to the different member groups -- but perhaps in the end SCIP will make strategic choices to serve some groups while referring other groups on to different organizations?<br />
<br />
There's a great relevant discussion started by Kieran on <a href="http://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/forum/topics/taxonomy-of-ci-mindmapping-ci">mindmapping CI</a> to work on creating clarity on what CI is.