Understanding the Deployment of Competitive Intelligence Through Moments of Translation

Research Approach

The study employed different methods, approaches and techniques. These included a qualitative research method, a case study approach and semi-structured interview techniques for the data collection. In Stake (2010:29), qualitative research is considered subjective and personal. It contributes towards an improved and disciplined scientific field. Qualitative research methods were used to determine the ‘why’ certain actions taken and they impacted the deployment of Competitive Intelligence in organisations. According to Babbie (2007:378), qualitative method is the non-numerical examination and interpretation of observations, for the purpose of discovering underlying meanings and patterns of relationships.

Case study approach is described by Babbie (2005:306) as the in-depth examination of a single instance of some social phenomenon, such as a village, a family, or a juvenile gang. The information that was obtained from the Case Study was represented in a qualitative and interpretive manner. From Blumberg’s et al. (2008) argument, the main advantage of case studies is that it permits the combination of different sources of evidence such as Interviews and documentation.

Data collection technique allows for gathering of data that may range from a simple observation at one location to a survey at another location (Cooper & Schindler, 2006). The semi-structured interview technique was used in the data collection. According to Blumberg et al. (2008:378), “interviews are the most widely used source of collecting information”. The main purpose for conducting interviews is to find out “various aspects” that the researchers are unable to observe themselves (Stake, 2010).

Capital Investments, a financial institution in South Africa, was used as the case study. The company offers a complete range of banking and wealth management products and services. Over the years the organization has grown from strength to strength. The organisation has about 7000 employees, 300 of them are in the IT department.