Book excerpt: Information professionals should be able to take a proactive role as a strategic partner in their organization's competitive intelligence. Their role needs to focus on the "outside-in" approach, based on their organization's strategic needs and objectives. Competitive Intelligence for Information Professionals explores the role of strategic information and intelligence in organizations, and assesses the values and needs of intelligence in organizations. The book provides guidance on how to work strategically with competitive intelligence, methods for monitoring and analysis and a process-oriented approach. Chapters include discussions on how news monitoring and competitive intelligence interact and how this offers opportunities for cooperation between different departments. Cases from the authors' own experiences when working with competitive intelligence in international corporations are also included. Competitive intelligence (CI) is a new area for Information professionals Offers perspectives on a new trend within the library and information sector Provides a comprehensive approach to CI