Using open data and Google search data for competitive intelligence analysis

Abstract

Open data are information entities that are of significant importance for many institutions, businesses and even citizens as the part of the digital transformation within many fields in our society. The aim of this paper is to provide a competitive environment analysis method using open source intelligence within the pharmaceutical sector and to design the optimal data structure for this purpose. Firstly, we have described the state-of-the-art of open human medicine data within the European Union with a focus on antidepressants and we have chosen the Czech Republic as the primary research territory for demonstrating competitive intelligence analysis. Secondly, we have identified the competitive intelligence and open source intelligence relationship with a new possible contextual analysis method using open human medicine data and Google Search data. Finally, this paper shows the potential of open deep web data within competitive intelligence activities, together with surface web data entities as a lowcost approach with high intelligence value focused on the pharmaceutical market.