The competitive intelligence (CI) is analyzed knowledge and foreknowledge having effective
decision making powers to empower business innovative performance for evolution of market
advantage and potential value. The competitive intelligence reins with power of knowledge:
knowledge management influence business performance to protect intellectual capital
vulnerable to competitor incursions, to receive intellectual benefits and appropriation to
extract potential market value. The concept of ‘competitive intelligence’ came to light during
an empirical investigation in the Sri Lanka rubber industry. The industry had developed its
market advantage as ‘latex crepe rubber’, but, had stagnated thereafter by trading it as a
commodity. Nonexistence of industrial strategy and committed regulatory role for knowledge
management in pursuance of competitive market intelligence had immobilized industrial
innovation performance; thus preventing promotion of technological superiority and
attainment of intellectual benefits for market advantage to extract potential market value. A
qualitative inquiry to understand industry environmental phenomenon from industry
practitioners and a quantitative inquiry on industrial performance and value generation was
undertaken to arrive at conclusions. A strategic management focus in combination with
competitive intelligence needs understanding by industry practitioners and academics to
gather insights for potential value generation