EP9: Market Consultants Spies or Strategists

Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting InternationalMarket research and competitive intelligence serve different purposes, and their value depends on how the insights are used. Basic market research provides quick, low-cost snapshots of market size, growth, segmentation, and customer preferences, making it useful for day-to-day tactical decisions. However, it is static, backward-looking, and limited in predicting future market shifts or competitive disruption.Market analysis goes deeper by combining secondary data with primary interviews across the value chain—customers, suppliers, distributors, and competitors—to explain how markets actually function and how they are changing. Market assessment builds further by placing these insights in the context of the client’s own capabilities, resources, and strategic intent, answering the critical “so what” question.Competitive information similarly spans three levels. Competitive intelligence delivers isolated tactical facts, competitive analysis provides contextual understanding of rivals’ strategies and performance, and competitive benchmarking enables inward-looking performance improvement by comparing processes and outcomes against peers.Selecting the right approach depends on the decision at hand. Tactical needs require intelligence; strategic choices demand analysis and assessment. Ultimately, effective consulting hinges on asking the right questions, applying ethical methods, and matching insight depth to business impact.