23].
In order to identify potential risks, it is important for companies to
collect and analyze information about their competitors' products and
plans. Based on such information, a company can learn the relative
weaknesses and strengths of its own products, and can then design
new pointed products and campaigns to countervail those of its
competitors. Traditionally, information about competitors has mainly
come from press releases, such as analyst reports and trade journals,
and recently also from competitors' websites and news sites.
Unfortunately, such information is mostly generated by the company
that produces the product. Therefore, the amount of available
information is limited and its objectivity is questionable. The lack of
sufficient and reliable information sources about competitors greatly
restricts the capability of CI