Problem:
You arrive at work and find an urgent e-mail from the Sales and Marketing Director. She's forwarded an article from the latest architectural journal, detailing the release of "CAD/CAM Infusion", a product, similar to your CADgold, but with more advanced architectural features. The product is being released by your major competitor.
Here's the e-mail:
"We've been scooped again - this is the third time this year that we have not known about these product launches! I can't operate a Marketing Department that follows up after the news. How can we prevent this from happening again?"
It's obvious that you need to do a better job regarding business intelligence. In your own words, draft a reply 2-3 page e-mail to your colleague, focusing on strategies, tools, and technologies you would recommend to build up a knowledge base and spot trends.