Tactical, Operational & Strategic Analysis of Markets, Competitors & Industries

CI in economy and... politics

There is marketing ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing ) and there is political marketing as an area of marketing specialization ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing#Areas_of_marketing_specializ... ). However, are there similar connections between Competitive Intelligence ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competitive_intelligence ) and political consulting ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_marketing )? An hour ago, I've encouraged my Security & Safety Engineering students at Poznan University of Technology to reflect on it ( http://fedcba.ning.com/xn/detail/2516803:Comment:3484 ). Can they count also on your help?

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Permalink Reply by Pradhuman Singh on May 31, 2009 at 9:49am

Hi TL

As rightly said, Marketing is an integral function in both Politics and Business.

CI, in a holistic perspective, has been equated with ethical and legal mode of information collection.

Unlike espionage and spying, certain organizations (communities in general,political in specific) had a dedicated Competitor Surveillance function in place.

And this had been practised for ages altogether.

The best example your students can look at is the Arthashastra by Kautilya, better known as Chanakya. He had laid the foundation of an Indo-Greek alliance in the post Alexander Era. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthashastra] which is nothing but CI on steroids kinda stuff for a state's economy and political survival followed by creating a Competitive Advantage against its rivals. The text dates 350 BC which is a unlike Sun Tzu's work on Intelligence and its role in Warcraft, commonly known as the Art of War.

There are a whole lot of Sanskrit texts which need to be translated for analyzing various information gathering practices being devised for Political advantage and competencies.

The Gurukul Kangri at RIshikesh in India is one such University which maintains a dedicated department for best practices from the Vedic age documented on paper.

Hope this helps your kids.

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Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on May 31, 2009 at 1:29pm

I'm afraid ethical and legal mode of information collection has hardly been practiced for ages.

However, one after the other. You've rightly guessed that not my students but rather my two kids [Liliana ( http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/ ) and Seweryn ( http://seweryn.deviantart.com/ )] would thank you for your help. For example, let me recall one conversation of my son (severino_1988) with a Hindu named Pankaj (bluelotus_us) held in the then Polish Slavic Club ( http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/floor32a.html and http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/floor34a.html ). Their messages are available now at
http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2836.htm, http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2846.htm, http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2865.htm, http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2871.htm, http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2879.htm, http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2882.htm, http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2887.htm, http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/bbs2991.htm . It's not unexpected that my son is today a philosophy student at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan ( http://www.guide.amu.edu.pl/social/structure.htm ), is it? :-)

Both my daughter and my son were the most active "students" assisting me in preparing my first blended courses for Poznan University of Technology students. At that time appeared also messages 109 Cruel men and cunning women 3/12/01 1:10 am, TadFromPoland and 250 Humanity to animals -- 5/24/01 5:38 am, TadFromPoland ( http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/floor2b.html ), available now at http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/109.htm and http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/250.htm . It's therefore obvious that mode of information collection is today much more ethical and legal than thousands years ago.

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Permalink Reply by Vivek Raghuvanshi on May 31, 2009 at 10:08pm

Good Observation Mr Lemanczyk,

Image Management / Political Consulting / Management Consulting.

Political Consulting too can be seen within the scope of Image Management.

Positioning & Re-Positioning the Brand ( Political Party / Political Candidate) = Image Management.

Intelligence Cycle :

1. Planning
2. Collection
3. Analysis
4. Dissemination

will be used anywhere and everywhere. We can also add Synthesis / Collation etc.

Very sharp observation Sir.

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Permalink Reply by Pradhuman Singh on June 1, 2009 at 3:54am

I would not entirely disagree with what your views are, especially if it doubled up as history or philosophy lessons for Liliana and especially Seweryn.

However, you might have actually missed the underlying message. The idea is not to question ethical or legal modes of gathering information, but the end goal for what the mode is being used for. Ethics and legalities vary from person to person, and subsequently extend to cultures and countries. While it may be ethical for Taduesz to eat beef and pork in Poland, a similar act could land Taduesz in serious trouble in India and Saudi Arabia respectively. Its the "freedom fighter-terrorist" analogy for one person and another that holds good here more than anything else.

Secondly, advisory function is a common quality in both CI & Political consultancy. While the former assists you to understand, plan and capture a market share vis-a-vis business rivals eying the same kill, Political consulting aims to give the same treatment to a voter/ electorate and thus understand, strategise and campaign for the largest vote percentage. Both carry a heavy input of Information and Psychological warfare of varying degrees, minus the bloodshed(..like I said, of varying degrees..!!)

In nations like yours (other EU members inclusive..) and the United States, the treatment to ruling party and the opposition is far easier to predict in terms of public opinion, than the younger democracies like Brasil, India and the likes.
However with exposure to the largest democracy in the world at the grassroots level, the "political consultancy" phenomenon might actually take a backseat. The greater the variation in terms of demographics in an electorate, the greater difficulty is faced by the Information collection function. If you want your students to really make sense of it all, Liliana and Seweryn inclusive, you might ask them to take a look at what 1/6 + 1/6 humanity does, when it comes to implications of an information management mechanism for a Political advantage. BTW, the other 1/6th has just one mandate, however they can still give their shot at former 1/6th. I'd be more than willing to help. However in both the cases, like water, Truth does find its way to the end user, be it the consumer or the voter.

Your expert opinion awaited

PS: Ask Seweryn to take a look at Vishnu Purana besides the ManuSmriti in your Library. उससे उसके दृष्टिकोण मे परिवर्तन आये मै नही कह सकता, पर उसे एक नयी दिशा अवश्य मिलेगी... Thanks again..

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Permalink Reply by Vivek Raghuvanshi on June 1, 2009 at 4:24am

Pradyumn,

Listen and learn.

Religious Ideology is a tool to CONTROL SOCIETY.
Political Ideology is also a tool to control society.

India is a safe country.

Here you can eat anything. There is no threat here in India for Mr Lemanczyk or for anybody.

In India you can eat any type of meat:

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/09noida2.htm

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=128954

( IN LIGHTER VEIN ) LOL.........

Mr Lemanczyk is right.

Please understand Political Consulting / Image Management in context of Intelligence Cycle

Using Media as a tool to "Manipulate Perception"

Political parties position themselves using Ideology.

Political Consultancy in India exists. The crafty politician uses:

1. Caste system
2. Class system
3. Political Ideology to Differentiate and woo voters.

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Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on June 1, 2009 at 10:02am

Restrictions on eating some types of meat don't worry me too much. What really worries me is the restriction on "kissing and sitting on the lap of your lover" [The no chaotic Mumbai 21/04/2006, 09:05 am Dr. Tadeusz Lemańczyk ( http://www.lemant.user.icpnet.pl/tad/0122,%200123,%200130,%200136%2... )]. :-(

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Permalink Reply by Vivek Raghuvanshi on June 1, 2009 at 10:27pm

Good one.

If you truly love your beloved, do you really have to give a public display.

Most men in India fool girls by using the magic words "I Love You" and then after using them, dump them.

Here we go again:

What is most important in Love:

Physical intimacy or Emotional intimacy

Physical intimacy reflecting love is technically "gratification of lust"

But on the other hand if you go in for Emotionl intimacy, you may not find the woman in your life, for whatever.

So 99% Men settle for physical intimacy which creates an euphoria or intoxication of Love.

I know, I know.

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Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on June 1, 2009 at 9:58am

> The idea is not to question ethical or legal modes of gathering information, but the end goal for what the mode is being used for.

I'm not a consequentialist ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_justifies_the_means ).

> Its the "freedom fighter-terrorist" analogy for one person and another that holds good here more than anything else.

My daughter prefers "New Man-a sexist" analogy. :-)

> उससे उसके दृष्टिकोण मे परिवर्तन आये मै नही कह सकता, पर उसे एक नयी दिशा अवश्य मिलेगी

Should also Miguel ( http://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/forum/topics/online-tv-inte... ) be satisfied with this Google machine translation ("I came to her change in attitude can not say, but it will definitely a new direction")?

> Pradhuman Singh

Tad