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Competitor Intelligence

COMPETITOR INTELLIGENCE DEEP DIVE

Highly specific competitive analyses on strategic issues are still a key area of expertise of the HORUS ADVISORY GROUP. Whether the topic is to determine the structure or product cost of manufacturers or analysing their aftersales business model – we have a track record of various competitor intelligence projects for high-ranking customers from various industries.

We want to continuously meet or exceed the expectations of our customers in the future. That is the reason why we are constantly honing our competitor intelligence skills.

Global research network

Our projects usually have a global scope. Language skills and knowledge of local sources in different regions of the world are essential to exploit the wealth of information available. Our research is based upon our global network of more than 100 freelance researchers and experts, located in various places around the world, including China, Korea, Japan, India and Brazil. Due to increasing demand, we are investing further in enlarging our network in China.

Proprietary software

The amount of information available is increasing at an exponential rate. Basically, one can find relevant information on almost any subject of interest. It is just a matter of how much time and effort you want to invest in your research. In order to find the proverbial needle in a haystack and collect mass data for statistical analyses at the same time, we use the latest open source intelligence software, as well as proprietary software tools. We are also continuously investing in the cooperation with well-known universities, with the aim of using artificial intelligence to further automate our search processes.

Scientific methods of big data analysis​

Data sciences and system analytics provide proven and robust methods for evaluating heterogeneous mass data. We aim to use the latest scientific findings in this field as tools for the preparation of strategic corporate decisions. We use statistical methods to derive organisational structures from social network data, non-linear systems of operations research equations to deduce the calculation logic from data points and System Dynamics models to simulate the business model of a competitor.

Meticulousness

Every analysis requires a solid foundation: detailed, meticulous research by our experienced team. No effort is too great for us, when it comes to collecting the necessary data and finding the relevant information. If that means locating and measuring 2,500 service branches across Europe by using satellite images, evaluating 1,500 press releases or counting the escalators on the drawings of all the shopping centers in France: WE WILL DO IT!

EXAMPLES FROM PREVIOUS PROJECTS

Competitor analysis in the tail-lift market:​

Our customer, a well-known supplier in this market, asked HORUS to analyse the business model of an important competitor. The analysis showed, that the competitor has gained a significant profitability advantage due to a modular product portfolio, a focused sales approach and a cost optimised production system.

Competitor analysis in the steel industry:​

Our client – a globally operating steel group commissioned HORUS to analyse market entry strategies of Asian competitors into the European steel market. As part of the analysis, delivery volumes, delivery routes and automotive customers of Korean and Chinese steel groups were revealed.

Competitor analysis in the commercial vehicle industry:​

Our client would like to better understand the personnel cost structure of an important competitor, in order to draw conclusions about potential profitability disadvantages. HORUS compared various publicly available documents from works councils and agreements with the competitor’s local annual financial statements, creating a detailed picture of personnel costs, including the specific remuneration for individual job profiles.