Dr Yoshio Sugasawa illuminates the role of intelligence in business at UTAR

Dr Yoshio Sugasawa, the Honorary President of the Japan Society of Competitive Intelligence, delivered a talk titled “Intelligence and Business” organised by the Institute of Management and Leadership Development (IMLD) and the Belt and Road Strategic Research Centre (BRSRC) on 16 July 2024 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. The session was moderated by Dr Stephen Leong, a Visiting Fellow from the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.

Dr Sugasawa presenting his talk

Dr Stephen moderating the talk

Dr Sugasawa shared his extensive knowledge and experience, covering various critical aspects of intelligence in the business world. At the beginning of the talk, Dr Sugasawa distinguished information from intelligence. He explained, “By analysing and evaluating the collected information, valuable information, that is, intelligence, is generated.” He further elaborated on the roles of intelligence (espionage) and counterintelligence, stressing the importance of human-sourced information (Humint). “Only humans can truly have meaningful information,” he noted.

In his talk, Dr Sugasawa discussed how to observe business trends and conduct intelligence activities, using examples like Shiseido and the Korean cosmetics industry in Paris. He highlighted the practical applications of intelligence in business strategies, citing Steve Jobs, the former CEO of Apple, as an exemplar of possessing significant intelligence capacity.

Dr Sugasawa concluded with a powerful message, saying, “By collecting information, we can learn facts, and by analysing and evaluating the collected information, we can generate intelligence. This process allows us to create new knowledge, develop strategic perspectives, and navigate the uncharted world.”

After the Q&A session, IMLD Director and BRSRC Chairperson Prof Cheng Ming Yu presented tokens of appreciation to Dr Sugasawa and Dr Stephen Leong, thanking them for their valuable contributions and for sharing their insights with the participants.

From left: Prof Cheng presenting tokens of appreciation to Dr Sugasawa and Dr Stephen

A group photograph at the end of the talk