Differences between Private Investigation and CI

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on November 26, 2009 at 12:04pm

Let me put a question to your question: Do CI Professionals rummage through underclothes like Detectives ( http://fedcba.ning.com/video/peril-at-end-house )? I dare suppose CI Professionals don't. ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Pavol Kopec on November 26, 2009 at 1:39pm

Thank you Tadeusz for your answer. I understand that there are especially ethical boundaries between these two professions. CI professionals are emphasizing to any stakeholders their strict adherence to laws and CI code of ethics (esp. that of SCIP), to vehemently distinguish themselves from e.g. spies (that often do not follow legal or ethical rules) or even detectives (that are sometimes balancing on the edge of law or do something not very ethical).

And - thinking about B2B services - I also do realize that CI solves not only tactical issues, which is predominately the case of PI engagements, but can also give comprehensive answers to important strategic questions.

The reason for why I put this question is basically this: some CI agencies do have detective licenses as well, can I perform CI (naturally following all codes of ethics as defined by SCIP, and adhering to laws) without having this license? Or, put differently, can someone accuse me of not having PI license as a company applying CI practice? Where are the boundaries?

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Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on November 29, 2009 at 4:03am

Yes, Pavol, but I'm afraid you've asked too provocative question. Most of us share here the stand which so clearly appears, for example, in dissertation already quoted by me ( http://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/xn/detail/2036441:Comment:2... ): "CI is practiced in a legal and ethical manner and should not be confused with industrial espionage, clandestine operations or private investigations issues" ( http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02092005-112230/unrestri... , p. 43).

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Permalink Reply by Vivek Raghuvanshi on November 27, 2009 at 6:50am

Competitive Intelligence cycle is used by:

1. Credit Reporting Companies
2. Private Investigators
3. Detectives
4. Market Reasearch
5. Risk Management.
6. Management Consulting.

If you confine CI to OSINT then the others use Semi-Active Intelligence and Active Intelligence tools such as:.

1. Emails
2. Telephone calls
3. Personal interviews to extract information.

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Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on November 28, 2009 at 1:13am

Another question: Do the words "pup" and "mole" ( http://fedcba.ning.com/xn/detail/2516803:Comment:7311 ) appear also in CI jargon? :-)

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Permalink Reply by Vivek Raghuvanshi on November 28, 2009 at 2:34am

Tad Sir,

We as CI professionals are under the wrong misconception that our CLIENT ie the Global organisation / MNC is like our girlfriend ie hopelessly devoted to us.

Global organisations / MNCs have 4 types of External Advisors ie [boyfriends]:

1. Management Consultancy
2. Risk Management Agency
3. Competitive Intelligence Agency
4. Private Investigation / Detective agency.

Global / MNC company may have a Competitive Intelligence cell but they CANNOT do without 4 different types of External Advisors.

Most of the times a Management Consulting org subcontracts assignment to a Risk Management agency @ 3000 USD per day and a Risk Management agency will subcontract @ 500 USD per day to a Private Investigation - Detective Agency.

An assignment that is subcontracted by a Management Consulting organisation to a Risk Management Agency may be hourly billing or per day billing x Z number of days.

We as fools are delighted that we are "Holier than thou" and that Intelligence that we generate is our realm only through OSINT.

It is called "A Fools Paradise"

In the Value Chain in the era of Globalisation, Global / MNC organisations "use and throw" their 4 boyfriends namely Management Consulting / Competitive Intelligence / Risk Management / Private Investigation -Detective Agencies.

Cheers!

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Permalink Reply by Pavol Kopec on December 1, 2009 at 8:21am

Now, it gets interesting. :)

I will try to summarize the discussion so far: basically, the difference between CI and PI is – and should be – that CI professional, unlike PIs, always follows all ethical principles of the profession (e.g. SCIP code of ethics), adheres to all applicable laws, uses OSINT, and does not apply any undercover operations.

So, performing only the CI activities in a way as defined above, one does not need PI/detective license.

But… on the other hand… a lot of Management Consultancies, Risk Management or CI Agencies do subcontract PIs (I definitely agree with that). And the reasons for doing it might be not only economical/efficiency-driven (e.g. budget saving, staff's capacity saving & other intrinsic benefits of outsourcing), but sometimes also to "keep their hands clean" (i.e. not to involve in something that might possibly, say, oppose their ethical values in their pursuit for information). Now, the question also is as follows: is it ethical to do the latter?

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Permalink Reply by Mislav Jurisic on December 2, 2009 at 1:59am

I would like to add specific question I think is related to Pavol's. It is related to question of misrepresentation and specifically using "mistery shopping" (whether on our own or using specialised agencies) for benchmarking competitors' offers (or clients competitors' offers) and competitors quality of service.

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Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on December 2, 2009 at 2:54am

How dare you accuse CI Professionals of practicing hypocrisy! ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Vivek Raghuvanshi on December 2, 2009 at 7:03am

Between MORALITY and GREED lies AMBITION.

In the Race for Economic Supremacy of Nations, Ethics serve Country's interests to be globally competitive.

The world is Grey and not Black or White!

Country's Moral & Ethical code and Individual Moral & Ethical code may vary.

A terrorist can also be considered as a Freedom Fighter. It is perception driven. [LOL]

But a terrorist remains a terrorist.

I believe everybody is ethical. Ethical according to their own yardstick of measurement.

"Do Means justify End or does End justify Means?".

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Permalink Reply by Tadeusz Lemańczyk on December 2, 2009 at 8:34am

Yeah. We've already discussed it extensively ( http://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/forum/topics/ci-in-economy-... ). Therefore, let me add only the following argument.

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Permalink Reply by Vivek Raghuvanshi on December 2, 2009 at 7:57am

Dear Pavol,

Ethics is the basis of conduct, which is perceived through individual morality and society’s norm of what is "good or bad", "right or wrong". :- Stealing is immoral

A code of conduct is a statement of ethical practices or guidelines to which an enterprise adheres.
Stealing is not allowed in this corporation. :- If caught in such an act...so and so.. is the consequence.

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