Differences
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, when it comes to business, at least five major differences exist between tactical and strategic intelligence. Strategy and tactics refer to two separate and distinct business functions and practices. Essentially, strategy involves planning a company’s next move, and tactics involve physically carrying out the plan. The difference between the two concepts can be remembered with the phrase, “strategic is doing the right things – tactical is doing things right.”
Strategic Intelligence
One of the primary differences between tactical and strategic intelligence is the time orientation of both intelligence, as they relate to a business environment. Strategic intelligence is future-oriented, allowing a company to make educated decisions regarding future conditions in its particular marketplace or industry. Strategic intelligence permits the company’s decision makers to visualize the future direction of the business. A company’s strategic intelligence helps it recognize emerging trends and patterns within the particular industry and subsequently predict potential problems that may affect the current operating environment. Foreseeing end results of planned projects and their potential impact on the company’s direction and developing watertight fallback plans are important aspects of strategic intelligence and planning. The strategic aspect of business intelligence deals primarily with planning for the future direction and growth of the company, in accordance with its stated mission and goals.
Tactical Intelligence
In contrast to strategic intelligence, tactical intelligence deals with the here and now. It provides decision makers with the necessary information to watch for changes in the company’s current operating environment and helps them discover new opportunities. Tactical intelligence deals with real time, offering analysis of current competitive conditions within the particular marketplace or industry. Rather than planning, tactical intelligence addresses the action steps that must be taken to achieve the company’s strategic objectives. This level of intelligence focuses more on the resources available for achieving strategic goals with quality results, such as people, time and money. A company’s tactical planning helps it to make the most efficient use of resources, both for achieving objectives as well as handling any risks and challenges involved in carrying out strategic plans.