Economic Intelligence as a Strategic Lever for Entrepreneurial Development, Opportunity Targeting, and Decision-Making: Insights from the Top Management of a Business Incubator

Abstract

The competitiveness of any economic entity today rests on its ability to mobilize information in order to make effective managerial choices. Operating in a highly competitive environment, all companies must implement approaches that meet their performance and sustainability objectives. It is in this context that competitive intelligence emerges as a crucial strategic solution aimed at supporting managers in their rational decision-making process. These are the reasons that led us to focus on the study of competitive intelligence as a lever for entrepreneurial development, opportunity targeting, and strategic decision-making. To this end, we chose as our empirical framework for analysis an entrepreneurial incubator operating in the city of Libreville, Gabon. Based on a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis obtained through interviews with four (4) members of Top Management, the results, obtained through content analysis, confirmed our initial intuition that competitive intelligence enables managers to collect, process, store, disseminate, and protect high-value information. This information, useful for effective decision-making, allows the company to gain a sustainable competitive advantage, develop its skills, and master its environment.

Classification JEL : D83, M13

Paper type: Empirical Research