59.2 Gathering Intelligence Information

 59.2 Gathering Intelligence Information

Question:

Is gathering intelligence information necessary for a king(leader)?

Answer:

A king who does not know the benefits of gathering intelligence

information through spies is not likely to be successful. (Couplet- 583)

ஒற்றினான் ஒற்றிப் பொருள்தெரியா மன்னவன்

கொற்றங் கொளக்கிடந்தது இல்.   (குறள் – 583)

Explanation:

A ruler of a nation should continuously monitor what is happening in his country. There may be people trying to sabotage him. His enemies may be plotting against him. There could be economic or social problems in the country. To provide stable and effective governance, the ruler should always be aware of what is happening in his country. But the ruler cannot gather all the information about what is happening in his country by himself. Generally, the rulers employ spies to collect intelligence information about what is happening in their country and monitor their enemies' activities. For example, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the USA, Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti (KGB) in Russia, and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in India are agencies that are actively involved in spying for the USA, Russia, and India, respectively.

Just like the leader of a nation, it is also essential for business leaders to gather market intelligence information about customers and competitors. Such information will help them to make informed decisions about product, price, promotion, and placement.