CIA, Inc.: Espionage and the Craft of Business Intelligence

by F.W. Rustmann Jr.

Every major government on earth recognizes the value of intelligence and employs an intelligence service to collect it for them. Businesses should be no different. Knowing how to gather information about the strength of your competitors, being able to anticipate their next move, and preventing them from stealing your secrets are critical keys to success in the new economy. Executives, entrepreneurs, and business school students must realize that the success of their companies partially depends on their effectiveness in the realm of business intelligence. This book teaches the principles of intelligence and counterintelligence, using the CIA’s methods as a model for the business world.

CIA, Inc. , explores the major aspects of business intelligence, including competitor intelligence, risk analysis, business and market analysis, counterintelligence, background investigations, due diligence, and security surveys. F. W. Rustmann draws on his experience as a CIA operations officer and a pioneer in the field of corporate intelligence to describe the collection, analysis, authentication, and reporting of intelligence.

Genres: Nonfiction, Espionage, Military Fiction, Business

217 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 2002

Reviews

[Brian Boudreaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real life look at how foreign and domestic intelligence applies to business as much as national security. The book gives real life examples from a seasoned case officer with lessons on how to protect yourself and business from similar costly errors.

[Tabari Brannon]

I just read this book and I have mixed feelings about it. I was look for concrete techniqes about the way the CIA works and how that will benifit my business. On the other hand the stories in this book are gripping and illustrative of the authors points. To give the author some credit ; we usually remember things in story form longer. I believe the major thesis can be found on the last page of the book , that is; do your homework. Good read!

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one's a 2.5er - It's a starting point. Feels like nearly the first half of the book is an introduction to broader intelligence, not quite as advertised. He spends too many words on "hey, don't forget I was a spook" anecdotes, not enough on business intelligence.