Proposal and validation of a specific competitive intelligence model to private higher education institutions

Abstract

This paper aimed to examine what practices and tools used by private higher education institutions of Minas Gerais state, to monitor its competitive environment, and develop and validate a model of Competitive Intelligence (CI) for this segment. The study was descriptive and predictive nature with the application of electronic form available to all private institutions of the state registered on the Ministry of Education in 2015. The audience were managers of these private institutions (belonging to senior management and the coordination of courses), comprising 40 education managers from 27 different institutions. The results showed different perceptions among the public interviewed on the use of practices and CI tools, and the concepts and practices seemed more widespread among top management. The proposed model included the steps of the CI cycle in their constructs and was validated by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). It was concluded that the CI practices and monitoring tools occurred in an informal and unstructured level. Information sources on competition and government did not figure as the most monitored. Most institutions surveyed doesn´t have a specific CI area, despite showing great level of knowledge about the concept.

Keywords:
Competitive Intelligence; Competitive Strategy; Private Higher Education Institutions CI for Education Sector