Competitive Intelligence

Definition

Information gathered about competitors' compensation, benefits, and practices to inform HR strategy—corporate espionage but legal and boring.

Example Usage

Our competitive intelligence shows that our salaries lag 15% behind similar companies in our market.

Origin

Emerged as formal HR practice in 1980s with salary benchmarking surveys

Fun Fact

Companies conducting regular competitive intelligence adjust compensation faster and lose fewer employees to direct competitors

Source: HR Strategy and Compensation

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