COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE AND SURVIVAL OF DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING BUSINESS IN KANO, NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper investigates relationship between competitive intelligence (CI) and survival challenges
that domestic manufacturing business (DMB) faces in Kano, Nigeria. The study is cross sectional.
Structured questionnaire was administered on a census based sample of 82 DMBs registered with
Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) Kano Branch, as at December, 2024. However, 76
copies of the questionnaire were retrieved, achieving a response rate of 93%. Missing value,
univariate and multivariate outliers from the data set were not found. Hence, the analysis was
carried out on the whole retrieved responses. Market intelligence, competitor intelligence and
technology intelligence were used as the proxy of the IV of the study, i.e., the competitive
intelligence. Market intelligence and technology intelligence were both found positive and significant
influence on the DV, i.e., the survival challenges that the DMB faces in Kano. Statistically, they
account for 41% and 47% respectively, to the challenges. In view of this, the study recommends
DMB in Kano to understand that in today’s business world, being well in business is a result of
intelligence to compete, which requires deliberate and purposeful search for verifiable information
essentially on market, competitor and technology. Furthermore, the DMB should understand that
synergy between market intelligence, competitor intelligence and technology intelligence is a must.
None stands effectively alone. Thus, inept in one renders the other two ineffective.