Competitive intelligence practices in hotels

This study attempts to determine the level of competitive intelligence (CI) efforts in the hotel industry in Minot, North Dakota. To this end, the researchers conducted a serious of in-depth semi-structured interviews with hotel managers representing twenty-seven hotels. The results indicate that the participating hotel managers demonstrated a low level of knowledge and awareness of CI. It appears that they engage in CI activities, primarily for tactical, rather than strategic purposes. Many lacked an adequate formal educational background in academic business that would have prepared them for the more strategic-level CI activities. Almost all of them had training in the tactics needed to gather intelligence of their competitors but few demonstrated a clear connection to strategic planning and competitive positioning. This study offers specific theoretical and practical implications.