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A rich harvest of practical insights into market competitive intelligence
ORGANISATIONS have faced an existential threat from ignorance of their competitors and paralysis in decision making due to overwhelming amounts of data for years. The eternally accelerating pace of change and need for agility has pushed the imperative of system- atically utilising market competitive intelligence (MCI) to the forefront of survival agendas as a strategic early warning system.
The gardening analogy works well and off ers an easily understood structure to the book. The most useful section is the second part, with a detailed step-by-step guide to benefi t from achievable quick-wins from free resources through to sophisticated use of technology. It off ers a pragmatic review of the benefi ts of Artifi cial Intel- ligence and Machine Learning in reviewing data to support human insight. Checklists, such as the evaluation of MCI systems are used eff ectively. Key takeaways at the end of each chapter and at the end of the book off er a helpful aide memoire to quickly revisit key points of interest. The glossary is particularly good with some excellent explanations beyond the more common short sen- tences. It was refreshing to read inspirational cases, rather than the usual case studies. Each of these off ers excellent tips. The authors never underestimate the diffi culties of implementing MCI but provide invaluable advice gleaned from their
50 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Anderbjork, Gabriel and Martell, Jesper E. Gardens of Intelligence: Designing robust digital market and competitive intelligence platforms. Sedona: Technics Publications LLC, 2021. 350pp. ISBN 978 1 634629333 1. £40.
considerable experiences in the fi eld. It feels churlish to com- plain that some of the images of screenshots could be larger and clearer.
A rich harvest of practical insights ready for anyone with responsibility for, or an interest in MCI to put into use, including more experi- enced competitive intelligence professionals. Through the close alignment of the two disciplines it also off ers a great deal of inspiration to KM prac- titioners. The authors have a depth of experience that read- ers should take full advantage of, along with the accompa- nying website to maintain a community and momentum.
Mandy Webster Browne Jacobson
A fascinating look at objects and events that shaped Oxford University
SOMETHING refreshingly diff erent – although those who know the ‘Archives and manuscripts at the Bodleian Library’ blog
http://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ archivesandmanuscripts/ will recognise the format. It explores 52 topics, each with illustrations of items from the collections; mostly docu- ments, but also objects such as a university policeman’s truncheon. Arrangement is chronological, from the earliest surviving charter for the uni- versity (1214) to a photograph of the fi rst woman Vice-Chan- cellor (2016).
The illustrations are of very high quality, with a sepia tone and frequently ‘bleeding’ to occupy the whole page, in which case there will be no page num- ber nor caption and these must be sought elsewhere. Sometimes in unusual places: the captions for the fi rst four illustrations in the volume are located on the verso of the title page along with the ISBN.
A recurring topic is “fi rsts”:
fi rst known black student at Oxford (1873, from Sierra Leone); admission of women students (1921). Another major theme is the relations, often fractious, between the university and the city seeing the univer- sity gradually abandoning its former wide roles in the city’s governance of which ‘Brewing’ and ‘Keeping the city clean’ are samples. Concerns for the morals of students are treated in ‘The problems of prosti- tution’ and ‘Illicit goings on’ (mostly drinking). ‘Town/gown
Millea, Alice Blackford. Oxford University: Stories from the archives. Oxford: Bodleian Library Publishing, 2022. 200pp. ISBN 978 1 85124571 0. £30.00
reconciliation’ records the joint commemoration and exchange of honours in 1955 on the 600th anniversary of the St Scholastica’s day murderous riots between students and city. The university off ering courses outside Oxford is addressed in ‘Working-class education in North Staff ordshire’ and ‘Oxford and West Africa’. The Bodle- ian Library itself is of course treated in the introduction but also has a handful of entries from Sir Thomas to the building of the ‘New Bodleian’ and its later remodelling as the Weston Library
A quirky and stimulating read, very well-produced. A second volume, drawing on the contin- uing blog would be welcome.
John McIlwaine University College London January-February 2023
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