Ethical issues in competitive intelligence practice: Consensus, conflicts, and challenges

Abstract

Abstract This overview of the state of ethics in competitive intelligence practice is based on interviews the authors conducted with a diverse group of CI professionals. They found that while some organizations are addressing CI ethics quite seriously, most CI practitioners feel left on their own, relying on personal background and intuition to make tough ethical decisions. Current ethical guidance is too vague to be truly helpful. Moreover, support from employers, industry groups, and the CI profession is needed to counteract pressures and incentives to overstep ethical boundaries. The authors' analysis identifies a number of ambiguous issues and conflicting expectations for which there is currently no consensus within the profession, such as misrepresentation that occurs by omission (rather than commission). Another area of concern involves consultants and the potential for conflicts of interest in their work. Finally, the authors offer a number of recommendations for supporting ethical CI practice. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.