Benjamin Gilad

Benjamin Gilad is a pioneer in the field of competitive Intelligence, he has published multiple books and articles on the subject, is a co-founder of the Fuld-Gilad-Herring Academy of Competitive Intelligence, and serves as a consultant for many Fortune 500 companies.

Education

Benjamin Gilad obtained his undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Tel Aviv University. After moving to the United States he obtained his Master of Business Administration from Central Missouri State University, and later obtained a PhD from New York University.[1]

Career

Israel

While living in Israel Dr. Gilad served in the Israel Defense Forces.[2] and worked as a police intelligence officer in Tel Aviv. He worked on many different cases covering a wide variety of criminal activity.[3]

Rutgers University

Dr. Gilad is a former Associate Professor of Strategy at Rutgers University's School of Management.[4]

Consultation

He also consults for many Fortune 500 companies including Kellogg, Dupont, Ericsson, and many others.[5]

Fuld-Gilad-Herring Academy of Competitive Intelligence

Dr. Gilad, with Jan Herring, founded the Academy of Competitive Intelligence in 1996, and in 1999 they joined forces with Leonard Fuld to establish the first accredited professional program in CI. The academy has experienced great success with a wide variety of students from many varying backgrounds.[6]

Publications and Awards

The Business Intelligence System

The Business Intelligence System published in 1988, co-authored with Tamar Gilad, was the first publication to introduce a model for a formal competitive intelligence function to the corporate world. This model has been adopted by an overwhelming number of large companies in the western hemisphere.[3]

Business Blind Spots

Business Blind Spots, first published in 1994 with a second edition appearing in 1998, is about the important role of intelligence in a business, and what happens when managers choose to ignore intelligence and allow blind spots to persist. The book also stresses the importance of the human aspect of intelligent corporations. In the book, Dr. Gilad maintains that hardware and software are not the solutions to the weakness in corporations; instead the solutions are the application of human-led systems and structures.[7] It is also the first book to introduce the blind spots war game methodology.[3] The book was called "inspirational" [8] and has been sold out in weeks.[9]

Early Warning

Early warning, published in 2003, is about limiting surprise in the business world. The book covers the strategic early warning process model first written about by Dr. Gilad in 2001.[3] It also covers developing a Competitive Early Warning system to avoid such surprises, manage risk effectively, and avoid “industrial dissonance,” which is when market realities outpace corporate strategies.[10] Gilad's Early Warning System has been quoted by Philip Kotler as one of the effective tools management can use in managing chaotic environments.[11]

Business War Games

Business War Games (2009) is both about the theory of, and a practical manual for, running simple, reality-based war games throughout a company, enabling managers at all levels to formulate better strategies. War games are simulations of competitive dynamics in a business’ given market with the goal of “pressure testing” product, market, or the whole business unit’s strategic plan.[12] The book shows steps, and practical details, on how to decide whether war gaming is necessary, and which decisions to use it for. It also covers: how to prepare, run, and organize an inexpensive game, how to predict competitor moves with accuracy and little information, and why one does not need computers, consultants, or specialized software to conduct such games.[13]

Articles

Dr. Gilad has written multiple articles related to the field of Competitive Intelligence. These articles appear in multiple CI related publications and on multiple web sites.[14]

Awards

In 1996 Dr. Gilad was awarded the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals Meritorious Award. This award is given to a single individual each year that has made significant and meritorious contributions to the competitive intelligence profession. He was the second of the three Academy of Competitive Intelligence founders to be given the award.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Gilad, Benjamin. "Business War Games" Career Press: Franklin Lakes, NJ 2009
  2. ↑ Technion Institute of Management Article
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://www.bengilad.com/academy_competitive_intelligence.php
  4. ↑ Gilad, B. (2004, September). The Failure of CI. Comintel Newsletter. Retrieved February 11, 2009
  5. ↑ Academy of CI Bio
  6. ↑ About Academy of CI
  7. ↑ Publisher Web Page
  8. ↑ http://thoughtblender.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
  9. ↑ Albagli, A., W.A Baldwin and K. K. Coker. Book Review. The Journal of Technology Transfer,Vol. 22, No.1, March 1997.
  10. ↑ American Management Association Overview
  11. ↑ Kotler, P. and J. Castlione. Chaotics: The Business of Managing and Marketing in the Age of Turbulence. Amacom, 2009
  12. ↑ Business War Games Overview
  13. ↑ Editorial Review
  14. ↑ Academy of CI Article List
  15. ↑ SCIP Meritorious Award Winners List