Murembiwa Justice Mashau, Tshilidzi Eric Nenzhelele, Ntsieni Fitzgerald Ramasimu
Abstract
The development of Competitive Intelligence (CI) has undergone substantial changes because of digital technology advancements which define the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the emerging Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR). The traditional practice of CI involved systematic data collection and analysis to deliver business insights about competitive market dynamics. Digital technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, cloud computing, and interconnected digital ecosystems have transformed the entire process of intelligence collection, analysis, and strategic advantage utilisation. The 4IR optimised CI methodologies through automation and data-driven decision-making which delivers real-time insights and predictive analytics. The emerging 5IR focuses on human-machine collaboration and ethical AI and hyper-personalisation which creates new challenges and opportunities for CI practitioners. The acceleration of digitalisation under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: industry, innovation, and infrastructure demonstrates how technological progress improves CI through innovative strategy optimisation. The paper investigates CI evolution through a concept-based literature review which identifies fundamental elements that shape contemporary intelligence systems. The analysis focuses on four fundamental areas which include AI-based intelligence analysis and digital ecosystem integration for strategic decisions and ethical aspects of automated intelligence and future directions of CI in automated business environments. Modern digital ecosystems operate as interconnected systems in line with principles of systems theory that describe how these systems influence strategic decision-making and business operations. The research demonstrates how digital innovations transform business operations while providing organisations with strategic guidance to maintain their competitive edge. Smart businesses need to understand CI evolution in the digital age to use technological progress ethically. The research connects theoretical and practical knowledge to link traditional CI frameworks with new paradigms that result from technological progress.