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With the vast amount of information sources and analysis tools available
online, it is becoming increasingly complex to stay informed on the practice
of competitive intelligence and Internet-based research. Thanks to the
filtering and organization skills of information-industry experts and
practitioners, there is a wealth of up-to-date online resources where
individuals can visit to read current articles and news headlines on the
field of competitive intelligence.
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Competia Online Magazine would like to highlight some of the sources that
individuals can use to stay up to date regarding new tools and development
that will influence the practice of competitive intelligence. This article
will bring to your attention some of the free and paid subscription-based
newsletters and discussion groups covering the important issues in the
profession. Although there are many newsletters and discussion groups
online, the article will only focus on the weekly and monthly newsletters,
and discussion groups with more than 25 subscribers or participants. ·
Newsletters · Discussion Groups
Newsletters
CompetiaNews is a free e-mail-based publication. There are three main
components to the newsletter:
- What's Relevant - This section informs readers of the current
developments within the field of competitive intelligence. The brief
editorial tells readers what to look out for in the near future and how
it will impact the profession.
- News Summary - In case you miss any news stories relevant to the
profession, the CompetiaNews summary provides a review of the main
stories of the past month. The stories are taken from the various
newswire services and press releases.
- Reading for the Week - This section provides abstracts of articles
published in other online magazines. These articles discuss different
aspects of competitive intelligence.
The newsletter is distributed at the beginning of each month. To
subscribe to CompetiaNews visit the News and Articles section of the portal
and enter your e-mail address in the subscription box.
The Search Engine Report.
This monthly newsletter is devoted to covering new developments in the
world of search tools. Written by Danny Sullivan, an Internet consultant,
The Search Engine Reports helps individuals stay on top of what is important
when searching the Web for information. Along with a review of news stories
of the month, Sullivan provides tips and suggestions of how to use current
search tools efficiently. In addition, comments from interviews conducted by
Sullivan are provided to get insights from top decision makers from the
major search engines companies.
The Search Engine Report can be obtained via e-mail or the Web. Since
each issue is full of information, the e-mail-based newsletter is sent in
two parts. To subscribe to the newsletter, visit The Search Engine Report
Newsletter home page. In addition, individuals can read a copy of the
newsletter on the Web at The Search Engine Report Website.
Note: If you cannot wait for the news at the end of each month, Search
Engine Watch, the publishers of The Search Engine Report offers SearchDay.
SearchDay publishes daily search-engine news and experts' insights.
Freepint
is UK-based, free e-newsletter that supplies a wealth of
information on searching the Web for business purposes. The publication
offers many tips and articles on searching of the Web effectively and
efficiently. The newsletter is published every two weeks and back issues are
available on the Freepint Website. To receive a copy of this newsletter,
enter your e-mail address in the subscription form at the Freepint home
page. A copy of the newsletter is also available online.
Outsell Inc. ebriefs is a fee-based newsletter that covers the top
developments in the information industry. The newsletter provides very
in-depth analysis of the important issues in the information content field.
Some of the news briefs are not available on the newswire services. The
value added content in the publication stems from the opinions of the
experts and writers at Outsell. In each issue, the experts put their own
spin on things regarding the industry.
If you would like to obtain the weekly issue of Outsell ebriefs, it will
cost $395 US per individual or US $1,595. Competia subscribers are entitled
to a 15 percent discount with the use of the Competia E-coupon. For more
information, please visit the Outsell Website.
Researchbuzz.
To receive the latest news regarding Internet research, you may want to
subscribe to Researchbuzz. This publication offers a review of developments
in the world of finding information online and managing data. Researchbuzz
is free and available in an e-mail format on a weekly basis; however, daily
updates are posted on the Researchbuzz Website. To acquire a subscription to
this informative publication, visit the Researchbuzz home page.
Actu moteurs.
The Actu moteurs newsletter is a French publication. It allows readers to
stay informed about new developments in the search-engine world. The
newsletter is available on a weekly basis and the news is culled from
sources around the world. Although the publication is in French, you may
want to consider getting some of the news items translated by an online
French-to-English translator. To subscribe to the Actu moteur newsletter,
visit http://www.abondance.com/.
Researcha newsletter is a UK-based publication that presents some of
the content that has been offered on the Researcha Website. Researcha, the
global community for information professionals, offers articles, industry
news, and updates on events, courtesy of their newsletter which can
downloaded in .pdf or by e-mail where URLs to the online articles are
posted. In the same e-mail, Researcha provides information regarding new
additions to their database of 600 market and technical reports covering a
variety of industries. These reports originate from trade associations,
investment banks, government organizations and management consultants firms.
Although membership to the community is free, a fee must be paid to gain
access to the database. To receive the Researcha newsletter, you can
subscribe at http://www.researcha.com.
The Virtual Acquisition Shelf & News Desk (VAS&ND) is a great
resource for information professionals. This Web-based resource offers free
daily news and valuable tips for finding information on the invisible and
visible Web. In addition to the news and tips, the VAS&ND provides links
to relevant and current articles on the Web regarding information retrieval.
One of the best features about this resource is the access to the archives
of past issues. To have access to this handy resource please click here.
Discussions Groups
The following list contains discussion groups which you may join to ask
and/or answer questions regarding finding information for business purposes.
Business Librarians Electronic Discussion List.
This discussion list is an established forum of individuals who have a
professional interest in the collection, storage, and dissemination of
business information. Some discussion topics include database management,
online information retrieval, and questions about the business librarian
professional. This forum is a great tool if you are inexperienced at finding
information on the Web or getting feedback from other librarians. If you
would like to join this discussion group, send an e-mail to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
with the command "SUBSCRIBE BUSLIB-L" in the body of your e-mail.
Once you have received the confirmation of your subscription, read the
instructions of how to manage the postings that you will be sending and
receiving.
Veille.
If you understand and speak French, the Veille discussion group might be
for you. This list focuses on all aspects of competitive intelligence.
Subscribers share their tips for searching the Web and how to analyze the
right information for decision-making. If you choose to join this list, be
forewarned: you may be swamped with a great amount of messages. To subscribe
to Veille send e-mail to veille-abonnement@egroups.fr
SLABF-L: Business & Finance Division Electronic Mailing List.
Similar to the Business Librarians Electronic Discussion List, the SLA
Business & Finance Division Electronic Mailing List provides an
excellent opportunity to get advice on finding business information on the
Web. To subscribe to this discussion group, visit the SLABF-L subscription
page.
Conclusion
This article has provided a list of resources that will assist
individuals in staying in tune with new developments regarding the field of
competitive intelligence. Although the list is a sample of what is available
online at the present time, you should attempt to find newsletters and
discussions groups that will cater to your needs to stay up to date on your
particular interest in competitive intelligence.
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