Using the Internet to Research Private Companies for Competitive Intelligence

Using the Internet to

Research Private Companies

August Jacksonaugust (at) augustjackson (dot) net

http://www.augustjackson.net

Our Approach

Define Kits: From Information Request to Decision Support

Define KITs: Choosing Analytical Models

Define KITs: Common Information Requirements

Plan Research Strategy

Research Strategy: August’s Commandments

Build Secondary Research Plan

Our Use Case: Raynor Garage Door

Our use case: Raynor Garage Door

Premium Sources

Premium Sources

Premium Sources

Premium Sources

Company Web Site

DescriptionsOffices LocationsIdentified partnersExecutivesJob postingsPress releaseSales channelsCorporate history

META Tags and Web Page Source Code

META Tags and Web Page Source Code

META Tags and Web Page Source Code

Link Analysis

http://www.siteexplorer.search.yahoo.comUse “link:” command in Google

PartnersDistributorsPhilanthropic venturesFormer employeesFansCriticsBloggersUser forumsNews coverage

Legal and Regulatory Filings

Legal and Regulatory Filings

Local News Sources

Example of Local News Discovery

Industry Associations and Journals

Social Networks and People Search

People Search and Social Networks

People Search and Social Networks

Use Job Sites to Track New Hiring

Use Google Maps for Location Details

Street view or sky viewSquare footageNumber of parking spaces suggests workforce size and capacityAppearance of buildingsVehicles in the lotStreet accessUtilities evidentPreparation for location visit

Appendix: Directory of Filings Databases

• BRB Publications Free Resource Center– http://www.brbpub.com/freeresources/pubrecsites.aspx?h=1

• SearchSystems– http://www.searchsystems.net/

• State and Local Government on the Net (US)– http://www.statelocalgov.net

• Virtual Gumshoe (US)– http://www.virtualgumshoe.com/resources/

• International Organization of Securities Commissions– https://www.iosco.org/lists/display_members.cfm?memID=1&orderBy=none

• US Census Bureau building permits data– http://www.census.gov/const/www/permitsindex.html

• US Department of Housing and Urban Development building permits data– http://socds.huduser.org/permits/index.html

Appendix: Directory of Newspapers and Industry Journals and Organizations

• Google News– http://news.google.com

• NewsVoyager– http://www.newspaperlinks.com

• BizJournals (US city-specific business journals)– http://www.bizjournals.com

• Scirus Scientific Journal Directory– http://www.scirus.com/

• Google Scholar– http://scholar.google.com

Appendix: People Search Engines

• Pipl: http://www.pipl.com• Spock: http://www.spock.com/• 123people: http://www.123people.com/• Yo Name: http://www.yoname.com/

• Masters of Criminal Justice Web Directory of People Search Engines– http://www.mastersincriminaljustice.com/blog/2009/50-best-people-

search-engines-to-track-down-anyone/