Barbie E. Keiser (MLS, Case Western Reserve University) is an information resources management (IRM) consultant located in Washington, DC. For thirty years, Ms. Keiser has attempted to bring the availability of information sources to corporate management's attention and assist in maximizing their use.

Could you tell us a few words about yourself?

I always begin by saying that I am a librarian by profession, but I have never worked in a traditional library facility. I use what I learned during my education and training to become a reference and research librarian to help me accurately assess people's information needs, wants, and expectations so that I can help people understand where they should turn to do what they need/want to do.

What exactly is information resources management?

Information resources management is just what it says: management of information resources, no matter what the format or where the information resides. My work as an information resources management consultant is to help organizations understand what is available that will help workers do their jobs better, faster, and easier. Today, that involves knowing what an organization does, and where information could play a role in improving what and how it is done. Much of my work is providing education and guidance functions, as opposed to training on a specific tool.

What, in your opinion, are the greatest problems Bulgarian businesses encounters?

I'm not sure that I can answer this question. What I can say is that if Bulgarian businesses are like those in other developing/emerging nations, it suffers from a lack of information about markets, industries, and other companies with which it could partner to take advantage of opportunities. If the nation wishes to attract additional foreign direct investment, companies outside of Bulgaria need to know what opportunities exist. Building directories of companies within an industry and developing market research about industries that are important to Bulgaria would help improve the situation.

How would you define Competitive Intelligence, it is a modern term, but not quite clear and often confused?

Competitive intelligence (CI) is usually a part of a larger effort by an organization to identify opportunities in the marketplace. What characterizes a CI program is that it is a systematic effort-continuous process-and not simply a "one-off" project. It is (or should be) designed to complement other efforts that exist to help the organization achieve an advantage over all other organizations occupying the same space. It could be considered a subset of Business Intelligence (BI), and there are elements of market research and analysis, but the focus of a CI program will be to successfully challenge all other similar entities as the organization targets the marketplace with its goods and services.

Is CI having an important role in a company's strategic planning?

Very definitely, CI can be an important support within the strategic planning process. You cannot develop a proper strategic plan for an organization without taking into account what your current (and potential) competitors are likely to do in future, in response to the same economic, political, and social environment. CI also aids operational decisions and actions.

How does the CI affect the performance of a company?

This is a very difficult question to answer. It points to the need for both quantitative and qualitative measures as one implements a CI program, so that the impact of CI work on the "success" of the organization-however that is calculated-can be captured with ease.

Is the CI a "luxury" tool for major companies only or each company should support CI activities?

Every organization-not only companies-has to be cognizant of the actions of other similar organizations/institutions. You may not call it "CI," and it may not be a comprehensive program, but then you are only reacting to the marketplace and not shaping it yourself. The more you understand your competitive environment, the easier it will be to take advantage of external opportunities and internal strengths while insulating yourself against external threats and taking steps to remedy where you are deficient.

Ms Keiser will be participating in the Business Information Forum: Competitive Intelligence, which takes place on 25 November in Sofia.