The first part of the book explains what competitive intelligence is, some basics about the resources available, and what you can learn. The second part provides details of resources available online, covering both free and commercial databases available through the Internet or via dial-up connection. The third part is my favorite, since it covers how to organize the information you are gathering. The appendices of resources take up nearly half the book. These include a diverse collection of Web site addresses covering loosely-related topics.
Some areas have many bookmarks, others are curiously sparse.
With such an extensive list of bookmarks, there really should be an online version. Additional appendices cover locating the database that has what you want, and then which vendor, producer, or Web site supplies the database. The biggest thing missing from this book is a sense of how competitive intelligence fits in with the overall management strategy of an organization. It provides more practical advice for conducting online research, but fails to present the entire scope of competitive-intelligence possibilities. You need to read the following book to get one version of the management point of view.