Economic intelligence is beginning to become embedded in the economic landscape of Tunisia. Since global competition is exacerbating, the importance of economic information and the challenges of this process in terms of increased competitiveness have become the main drivers for Tunisia to invest heavily in business intelligence.
One result of this initiative is the launch of the Tunisian network of business intelligence. The network was initiated in 2009 and funded by the Swiss government to the tune of 300,000 dollars, confirmed to Africanmanager, David Cordobes, Market Intelligence Director at the Technical Centre of International Trade (ICC).
The network will aim to monitor the business environment, reduce risks in each of the decisions and act according to changing environment. The main aim is to acquire a capacity for rational and proactive analysis of events related to trade and monitoring of changing trends of national and international markets and diverse economic sectors.
It is within this context that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tunis (CCIT) held Thursday, March 22, 2012, at the headquarters of CEPEX, an information seminar on “Economic Intelligence, Vector of Access to Potential Markets.”
The meeting aimed to establish cooperation among agencies and institutions of knowledge in the field of competitive and economic intelligence. It also sought to encourage the use of economic intelligence as a means to be better positioned internationally through job creation, by means of the export of Tunisian human resources to applicant markets and identify needs and resources in the world.
“With economic opening, the company is called to be attentive to the international environment and to further strengthen its competitiveness,” said Mounir Mouakher, CEO of the CCIT.
In Tunisia, there are several departments and institutions that practice business intelligence including, among others, the CEPEX, UTICA, Chambers of Commerce, the INNORPI, the FIPA, technology parks, groups, services of some ministries, and the IACE.
These organizations encourage the development of better coordination and networking between different institutions, hence the proposed creation of this network of business intelligence. The mechanism of economic intelligence stands out, indeed, as a major instrument of strengthening the competitiveness of businesses internationally. “It is also the blueprint for the” exchange of information between all partner organizations and a forum for intelligence and collective and participatory reflection,” said Minister of Trade and Handicrafts, Bechir Zaâfouri.
Tunisia, which is opting for a policy of international integration, has worked to strengthen, through this network, ties of cooperation with economic partners, cooperation agencies and donors to identify new promising projects and initiatives for the Tunisian economy.
It should be noted, in this regard, that an Association of Business Intelligence (ATIE) has just been officially born in Tunisia.
In a statement to Africanmanager, Fethi Ben Mimoun, a founding member and President of the ATIE pointed to the publication of texts relating to this association in the Official Journal of the Republic of Tunisia. It aims to establish itself as center and platform of expertise in this area. The ATIE is committed to enrich national economic thinking and debate.
Five broad lines have been identified in this direction, namely promoting and disseminating the culture of intelligence, developing public policy and creating synergies with all public and private economic actors. They also provide for training courses in business intelligence, promoting and enhancing businesses of this process and building international cooperation ties to exchange knowledge and expertise.
In this regard, an action aimed to raise awareness of the intelligence process seems paramount.
Awareness seminars on this approach and cycles of awareness within universities will be organized. The association also undertook the creation of self-study modules.
Experimentation in pilot companies is the first step to better implement this new process especially in this new political phase experienced by Tunisia where a new export potential and a new era of transparency of the business climate begin to emerge. Add to that the assets available to Tunisia in several promising areas.
