You have been hired as a Competitive Intelligence Analyst for a business. Your CEO has given you three weeks to uncover critical intelligence about the competitive landscape before making a high-stakes business decision.
Choose ONE of the scenarios below:

• Technology: You work at a startup developing an AI-powered search engine to challenge Google.
• Retail: Your company is launching a clothing rental service.
• Healthcare: Your pharmaceutical company is releasing a new weight-loss drug.
• Finance: Your fintech startup is offering zero-fee digital banking.
• Automotive: Your electric vehicle brand wants to enter the ride-hailing market.
  Develop a competitive intelligence briefing using real-world data to guide your company’s strategy based on your selected scenario above. Your briefing must focus on:
• Track competitor behaviours and signals.
• Collect and analyse intelligence from public sources.
• Apply creative research techniques to uncover insights.
• Present a compelling competitive strategy with real-world evidence.
  Question 1 [20 MARKS]
  1.1 Identify TWO (2) key competitors and briefly describe their brand positioning, target audience, and market strategy. (10 marks)
  1.2 Conduct and present a competitor snapshot using social media, industry reports, and press releases. (10 marks)
  Question 2 [20 MARKS]
  2.1 Identify THREE (3) competitive intelligence sources per competitor (5 marks)
  2.2 Choose one competitor and conduct a mystery shopper analysis by exploring their website or app as if you were a customer. Describe your customer journey, for example (but not limited to):
  o How is their website/app structured?
  o What products/services do they emphasise?
  o What pricing models do they use?
  o What are their unique selling points (USPs)?
  o Use Google Trends, LinkedIn, and industry forums to uncover hidden insights. (15 marks)

Question 3 [20 MARKS]
Predict how competitors will react to your company’s market entry or product launch (depending on your chosen scenario).

• Apply the Competitive Market Signaling Theory and discuss the signals that suggest your competitors are preparing to respond (10 marks)
• Use a battle matrix to compare competitor strengths in relation to your company’s advantages. (10marks)

Question 4 [25 MARKS]
4.1 Develop a high-impact competitive strategy by outlining how your company will position itself against
competitors. (10 marks)
4.2 Outline THREE (3) strategic recommendations for winning in the market based on your competitive
intelligence and justify each move using real-world competitor insights. (10 marks)
4.3 Suggest a marketing and pricing strategy based on your intelligence. (5 marks)
Video submission (15 marks)
[TOTAL: 100 marks]
Submission Instructions:

• Present your findings as a 5-minute recorded video (MP4) using a PowerPoint presentation. It should be highly visual with minimal text. Use storytelling to present your strategy
• Submit a 2,000-word competitive intelligence report
• Rubric: Use the rubric below to guide the development of this submission

Answers to Above Questions on Business Intelligence

Expert Answer 1: For this competitive intelligence briefing, the specific scenario that is selected is launching of a clothing rental service. A critical analysis of the competitive strategy in rental clothing business in South Africa is carried out as follows:
Identification of Competitors: The two key competitors that are selected for the purpose of analysing their brand positioning, on rooted and cultus target audience and market strategy are Onrotate and Cult Crush. An analysis of the brand positioning strategy of these fashion retailers indicates that Onrotate is positioning itself as a premium online fashion and dress rental platform whereas Cult Crush positions itself as South Africa’s best dress hire platform. The target audience of Onrotate includes the designer outfits for special occasions such as weddings or formal events whereas the target audience of Cult Crush includes the individuals that are looking for affordable and sustainable fashion options like parties and formal gatherings.
To get a detailed comparative analysis of both these fashion retailers, connect with our strategic management expert in South Africa.

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