Journal of Tourism and Development

Journal of Tourism and Development

Analysis of the alignment of business strategies and competitive intelligence in the tourism industry: Case study, hotels and guesthouses in Qom province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Amin Arefi 1
Mohammad Hizaji 2
Mohammad Reza Fathi 3
1 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Hazrat Masoumeh University, Qom, Iran
2 2. Master of Business Administration, Department of Management and Accounting, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Management and Accounting, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jtd.2025.492930.2992
Abstract
In today's dynamic world, the tourism industry faces numerous challenges to maintain its competitiveness. Among them, competitive intelligence, as an efficient tool, plays a key role in enhancing the position of this industry. This study aims to explain the importance and identify the alignment and impact between "Miles and Snow's business strategies" (pioneers, analysts, defenders and reactants) and "competitive intelligence" (market, competitors, socio-strategic and technological). This research uses "descriptive and correlational" in terms of its "applied" purpose, and quantitative data analysis method. The population size is 44 hotels and guesthouses in Qom province. Multivariate Poisson regression method was used to analyze the data. The results of the study show that the competitive intelligence of a hotel or guesthouse has a direct and positive effect on their strategy type. In fact, hotels or guesthouses should pay attention to developing and improving their competitive intelligence, but based on their adopted strategy, they should invest in one of the dimensions of competitive intelligence. Those with high market intelligence are suitable for a reactive strategy, and centers with high technological intelligence are considered suitable for an offensive strategy. However, hotels and guesthouses with high competitor intelligence and socio-strategic intelligence are better off choosing a defensive strategy.
Keywords
Competitive intelligence
strategy
hotel
guesthouse
tourism
 
4.     Abdul Mohsin, A. M., & Sumarjan, N. (2022). The mediating role of competitive intelligence on organizational culture and hotel performance: A proposed theoretical framework/Dian Aszyanti Atirah Mohd. Asri, Ainul Mohsein Abdul Mohsin and Norzuwana Sumarjan. Jurnal Intelek, 17(2), 35-51. https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/67368
5.     Agarwal, K. N. (2006). Competitive intelligence in business decisions-an overview. In Competition Forum (Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 309).
6.     Alnoor, A., Khaw, K. W., Al-Abrrow, H., & Alharbi, R. K. (2022). The hybrid strategy on the basis of Miles and Snow and Porter’s strategies: An overview of the current state-of-the-art of research. International Journal of Engineering Business Management, 14, 214-235. https://doi.org/10.1177/1847979022108021 .
7.     Bartes, F. (2014). The objectives of competitive intelligence as a part of corporative development strategy. ACTA Universitatis Agriculturae ET Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 62(6), 1243-1250. https://dx.doi.org/10.11118/actaun201462061243
8.     Berkova, O., & Borisyuk, O. (2024). Formation of marketing strategic analysis in the field of tourism. The Scientific Issues of Ternopil Volodymyr Hatiuk National Pedagogical University. https://doi.org/10.25128/2519-4577.24.1.1
9.     Breakspear, A. (2013). A new definition of intelligence. Intelligence and National Security, 28(5), 678-693. https://doi.org/10.1080/02684527.2012.699285
10. Cartwright, D. L., Boughton, P. D., & Miller, S. W. (1995). Competitive intelligence systems: relationships to strategic orientation and perceived usefulness. Journal of managerial issues, 7(4), 420-434. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40604079  
11. Conant, J. S., Mokwa, M. P., & Varadarajan, P. R. (1990). Strategic types, distinctive marketing competencies and organizational performance: a multiple measures‐based study. Strategic management journal, 11(5), 365-383. doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250110504.
12. Del Vecchio, P., & Passiante, G. (2017). Is tourism a driver for smart specialization? Evidence from Apulia, an Italian region with a tourism vocation. Journal of destination marketing & management, 6(3), 163-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.09.005
13. Dishman, P., & Pearson, T. (2003). Assessing intelligence as learning within an industrial marketing group: A pilot study. Industrial Marketing Management, 32(7), 615-620. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0019-8501(03)00030-0
14. Feldman, D. C. (2004). The devil is in the details: Converting good research into publishable articles. Journal of management, 30(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jm.2003.09.0
15. Ferrer, J. R., Abella-Garcés, S., & Maza, M. T. (2019). Spanish wine cooperatives’ business performance: innovation capabilities and Miles and Snow strategies. Journal of Wine Economics, 14(4), 409-416. https://doi.org/10.1017/jwe.2019.36
16.  Gémar, G., Moniche, L., & Morales, A. J. (2016). Survival analysis of the Spanish hotel industry. Tourism Management, 54, 428-438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.12.012 
17. Ghaffari, R., Nazari, M., Afzali, S., & Omranifar, M. (2013). Competitive intelligence as a new construct in the development of strategic thinking: A case study comparing private and public banks in Mazandaran Province. Journal of Organizational Culture Management, 11(3), 169–193. https://doi.org/10.22059/jomc.2013.36086 [In Persian]
18. Gross, R. (2018). Exploring the Influence of Slack Resources and Absorptive Capacity on Strategic Flexibility Using the Miles and Snow Taxonomy: A Review and Future Research Agenda. Journal of Applied Business & Economics, 20(5). https://doi.org/10.33423/jabe.v20i5.363
19. Haj Youssef, M., & Christodoulou, I. (2017). Assessing miles and snow typology through the lens of managerial discretion: how national-level discretion impact firms strategic orientation. Management and Organizational Studies, 4(1), 67-73. https://doi.org/10.5430/mos.v4n1p67
20. Hanif, N., Arshed, N., & Farid, H. (2022). Competitive intelligence process and strategic performance of banking sector in Pakistan. International Journal of Business Information Systems, 39(1), 52-75. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBIS.2022.120368
21. Hezji, M. (2016). Examining the impact of competitive intelligence on the selection of organizational strategy type: Considering the moderating role of core organizational capabilities. Master’s thesis, Faculty of Management, Farabi Campus, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran. [In Persian]
22. Hülsmann, M., Grapp, J., & Li, Y. (2006). Strategic flexibility in global supply chains–competitive advantage by autonomous cooperation. In Conference Proceedings of 11th International Symposium on Logistics (11th ISL), Loughborough, United Kingdom, 494 (Vol. 502).‏ http://www.sfb637.uni-bremen.de/pubdb/repository/SFB637-A3-06-024-IC.pdf
23. Kaikara, O. (2020). Tourism development strategy. International Journal Papier Public Review, 1(1), 20-25. https://doi.org/10.47667/ijppr.v1i2.15
24. Köseoglu, M. A., Ross, G., & Okumus, F. (2016). Competitive intelligence practices in hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 53, 161-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2015.11.002
25. Leung, X. Y., Xue, L., & Bai, B. (2015). Internet marketing research in hospitality and tourism: a review and journal preferences. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(7), 1556-1572. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-05-2014-0268
26.  Lumbantoruan, R. S., & Pujangkoro, S. (2020, December). Analysis of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) strategy using miles and snow typology: A literature review. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, (Vol. 1003, No. 1, p. 012120). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1003/1/012120
27.    Mirkhan, K. H. A., Sadq, Z. M., & Omer, S. O. (2017). Analyzing the role of strategic alignment of business strategies related to the Miles and Snow model on competitive intelligence. International Journal of Advanced Research, 5(3). https://doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/3520
28. McDaniel, S. W., & Kolari, J. W. (1987). Marketing strategy implications of the Miles and Snow strategic typology. Journal of Marketing, 51(4), 19-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224298705100403
29. McGonagle, J. J., & Vella, C. M. (2002). A case for competitive intelligence. Information Management, 36(4), 35-40.
30. Miles, R. E., Snow, C. C., Meyer, A. D., & Coleman Jr, H. J. (1978). Organizational strategy, structure, and process. Academy of management review, 3(3), 546-562. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1978.4305755
31. Opait, G., Bleoju, G., Nistor, R., & Capatina, A. (2016). The influences of competitive intelligence budgets on informational energy dynamics. Journal of business research, 69(5), 1682-1689.
32. Quintero, J. A. J., & Salguero, G. C. (2016). Competitive Intelligence in the Tourism Sector, with special focus on Southern Europe. Tourism & Management Studies, 12(1), 136-144. https://doi.org/10.18089/tms.2016.12114
33. Rezaeian, A., & Lashkarbolouki, M. (2011). Competitive intelligence and strategic decision-making. Journal of Business Management Perspective, 9(2), 43–65. https://jbmp.sbu.ac.ir/article_94288.html  [In Persian]
34. Salguero, G. C., Resende Jr, P. C., & Fernández, I. A. (2017). Proposal of an assessment scale in competitive intelligence applied to the tourism sector. Journal of Intelligence Studies in Business, 7(1), p. 38. https://doi.org/10.37380/jisib.v7i1.214
35. Shahbandi, M., & Farrokhshad, H. (2019). Organizational Performance Measurement Based on Competitive Intelligence and Strategic Flexibility in the Food Industry. Journal of Research in Marketing, 11(1), 868-877. https://doi.org/10.17722/jorm.v11i1.782
36.   Tarraf, P. (2005). Competitive intelligence and small companies: A study of two industries (Master's thesis). Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, John Molson School of Business.
37. Turdibekov, K. I., & Ibrokhimov, N. K. (2020). Strategic Development of Tourism Taking into Account Regional Features of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Indonesian Journal of Law and Economics Review, 8, 10-21070. https://doi.org/10.21070/ijler.2020.V8.523
38. Vroman, H. W. (1995). Product Juggernauts: How Companies Mobilize to Generate a Stream of Market Winners. Academy of Management Perspectives, 9, 3. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.1995.9509210318