Corporate intelligence in biotechnology

'Know thy neighbor' is a critical component of today's biotechnology practi ce. The industry is extremely rich in science and business information, and the pace of change is dramatic. Successful participation in biotechnology will always depend on good technology, management and money. In addition, a n ingredient that needs more attention is competitive information gathering and analysis. Competitive intelligence can be defined as actionable inform ation that requires the ability to filter and synthesize relevant knowledge for the benefit of the company. Why is this necessary? How can it be done well? What examples are there? These are good questions that are inevitably faced by all biotechnology practitioners, and some answers are provided he rein.