Competitive Intelligence at School of economic warfare of Paris

On 2OO8.04.10, Mr Richard McEachin of Confidential Ressource asked me whether I could write an article on what i valued most from my time in School of Economic Warfare of Paris (EGE). I am sorry to answer so late. It is because of my timetable. For whatever purpose it may serve, this article expresses my personal opinions and does not engage the institution. Obviously, you know that my English is not yet perfect, so i request forgiveness from Shakespear for the mistakes in the next few words. Anyway, you can visite the Spanish version of this blog or even the french one.

Genesis and objectives

EGE was created in 1997 by the French Mr Christian Harbulot and General of the Army Jean Pichot-Duclos. The main objective was to contribute to equip french and european companies with a strategic expertise to face the hardening of competition at international level. The doctrine of this high school -that trains selected managers and students of Master level- is based on fighting spirit, methods and techniques of asymmetrical combat (“weak” vs “strong”). It is thus an exceptional place of transfer of military know-how to the world of companies. Its teaching body includes academicians, economic operators, high graded soldiers, ex-intelligence agents, data processing specialists, lawyers and journalists. Its slogan comes from Napoleon: “to be made beat is forgivable. To be made surprise is inexcusable “.

Training schemes

You certainly remember that in 1994, US professor of business strategy Richard A. d’Aveni published Hypercompetition at The Free Press Editions. According to him, “most difficult for market leaders is that tomorrow’s competitors are not even on the radar screens of most companies”. With weak entry barriers to most markets, he adds, the “unconventional player attacks suddenly from outside the industry with unexpected methods, often with devastating effect.” This diagnosis seems to have inspired the birth of EGE. According to me, its training schemes answer concerns of Profesor d’Aveni and the new challenge of European nations to face the American superpower and the rise to power of Asia and China in particular.

The training schemes of EGE can thus be declined in five points:

1. Investigations (Humint, Osint, Internet, Data bank…)

2. Analyse (strategic, economic, geoceonomic, geopolitical, cultural, political…)

3. Risk management

4. Influence (Lobbying, Perception management…)

5. Information warfare (Means: humility, security, global strategy and counter-strategy – Tools: data processing, media, internet… -Techniques: rhetoric, law, ethics… – Tactics: offensive/defensive –Targets?)

In conclusion

As you will be able to check it, the School of Economic Warfare of Paris is the most offensive high school of Competitive (or Economic) Intelligence in Europe. To date, 500 persons have been graduated and are all members of the Assiociation EGE. They now work in the fields of Competitive Intelligence, Army, Politics, Diplomacy, Culture, NGO’s, Journalism and Companies… in the five continents. As the 1st Cameroonian graduate of this institute (in addition to my former qualifications in Public Law and Political Science), I try to make it profitable to companies and governments of central Africa via GwethMarshall Consulting, the first competitive intelligence agency in this area.

Guy Gweth