Competitive intelligence: essence, approaches to definition, objectives

The article is devoted to the study of the essence of the economic category "competitive intelligence". The existing approaches of domestic and foreign scientists to the definition of the essence of competitive intelligence are investigated and generalized. The reasons why enterprises conduct competitive intelligence are determined: curiosity, expectation and follow-up. A marketing approach to defining the essence of competitive intelligence is proposed, the author's interpretation is formulated. The tasks of competitive intelligence have been determined and systematized, the need for their centralization has been substantiated by creating a competitive security system at the enterprise and the corresponding structural unit.