Competitor Orientation of Cognitive Organizational System Scale

What it measures

Parallel form of COCS (1846) measuring the extent to which an organisation’s information processing activities are oriented toward competitors. Covers the same four facets—generation, dissemination, analysis, and storage—directed at competitive intelligence rather than customer intelligence. All four sub-scales meet the reliability threshold. The cognitive system was the dominant driver of competitor-related responsiveness, outweighing the affective system.

Response format

7-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree); four sub-scales used as item parcels in SEM

Scale items

• Information Generation: We systematically and constantly gather information about our competitors.
• Information Generation: We collect information about competitors in a comprehensive and holistic way.
• Information Generation: We systematically and constantly keep track of the behavior of our competitors.
• Information Dissemination: Our personnel spends a fair amount of time to exchange newest competitor-related developments with other functional departments.
• Information Dissemination: We regularly circulate documents (e.g., reports, newsletters) that provide relevant information on competitors.
• Information Dissemination: Members of all hierarchical levels in our business unit regularly receive information about the newest competitor-related developments.
• Information Analysis: We systematically and regularly analyze information about competitors.
• Information Analysis: Our top managers periodically analyze and interpret the gathered information on competitors.
• Information Analysis: Members of different departments regularly meet to analyze competitor-related changes.
• Information Storage: We regularly and systematically store and update information about our competitors in the corresponding information systems (e.g., databases, expert systems, intranet).
• Information Storage: We regularly and systematically store and update information about our competitors in corresponding documents (e.g., presentations, reports, newsletters).
• Information Storage: Our personnel store all relevant information about our competitors.
• Information Storage: Members of all hierarchical levels have access to the available information about competitors.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Composite reliability = .88; AVE = .65. All sub-scales meet threshold: Information Generation α = .85, CR = .86; Information Dissemination α = .80, CR = .80; Information Analysis α = .84, CR = .84; Information Storage α = .83, CR = .84. Parallel form to COCS (1846). Validated in cross-industry multi-informant study (n = 280 business units).

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Homburg, C., Grozdanovic, M., & Klarmann, M. (2007). Responsiveness to customers and competitors: The role of affective and cognitive organizational systems. Journal of Marketing, 71(3), 18–38.

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