$148 Billion Myth Debunked by Intelligence Software Guide
Fuld & Co. first-of-its-kind guide evaluates intelligence software

CAMBRIDGE, MA February 14, 2000

In direct contradiction to pronouncements made by numerous software vendors, there are no one-stop software solutions for the estimated $148 billion dollar business intelligence market, according to the newly released Fuld & Company Intelligence Software Guide.* This first-of-its-kind comprehensive report, located at www.fuld.com, is designed as a strategic executive tool to improve the decision-making process when gathering, organizing, analyzing and evaluating competitive intelligence data.

"Since no turn-key software system product covers all aspects of intelligence creation and management, we reviewed and categorized software tools and fit them into the process of intelligence production," notes Leonard Fuld, president of Fuld & Co. While we have found that software suppliers are repackaging their data mining and data warehousing products as 'business intelligence' offerings, in reality they often deliver only one or two of the five required business intelligence process steps. No package that we have reviewed or seen delivers the entire business intelligence solution, period!

"The trend among corporations worldwide today is to gather information about competitors and use it strategically. Our continually-updated software guide will help executives put the pieces of the competitive intelligence puzzle together faster and more accurately than ever before. There is currently nothing like it in the marketplace." The Fuld Software Guide reviews each software product individually and organizes each within the following five distinct steps of the intelligence cycle, as defined by Fuld & Co.:

• Define intelligence requirements: Breaking the task into digestible chunks
• Collect and organize data: Getting the right data and putting it into an analytical context
• Analyze: Appling information for specific use; recommending action
• Report and inform: Getting it out, making it known, on time, on target
• Evaluate: Measuring the impact of intelligence use, refining the process

The complex ideas encompassed by the Software Guide are designed in an easy-to-use format, requiring only a few mouse clicks to navigate. The Guide is constantly being updated and revised as new software products reach the marketplace and product revisions are launched. Other free intelligence tools found at www.fuld.com include an Internet Intelligence Index, with links to nearly 600 intelligence-related Internet sites; an Intelligence Dictionary, with hyperlinks to related terms and websites; an interactive Intelligence Forum, where questions are fielded by Fuld experts; excerpts from Leonard Fuld's acclaimed book, The New Competitor Intelligence, and an Intelligence Organizer. Based in Cambridge, Mass., Fuld & Company specializes in providing business intelligence consulting services, and has designed intelligence processes for numerous corporations worldwide. Leonard Fuld is a worldwide recognized expert and author in the field of competitive intelligence. Additional information can be found at http://www.fuld.com.

*Results of study by Survey.com, 11/30/99, estimating the size of the business intelligence/data warehouse market expected to eclipse $148 billion within the next three years.