Developing a competitive intelligence strategy model for South African life assurance industry.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Competitive Intelligence Embeddedness (CIE) and organisational performance studies have used various techniques and methods to explain the relationships between variables. To address this limitation in the body of knowledge, the objective of this study was to apply PLS-SEM and build a model that explained and identified the critical factors affecting CIE in the SA life insurance environment. This study was deductive and based on a non-experimental research design. Quantitative research methods and descriptive design with the positivist research paradigm were employed. The researcher developed a cross-sectional quantitative approach using smart-PLS version 3.2.7. Data were collected from 276 respondents, and the response rate was 72%. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was applied to estimate the proposed theoretical model. This model was examined from an explanatory-predictive perspective and exhibited a high out-of-sample predictive power. Furthermore, this study’s measurement model was confirmed to be valid and reliable and acceptable. The findings of this study revealed that the R² value of the model was scored at 0.615, 0.506, and 0.735, which meant that the fourteen exogenous latent constructs collectively explained 61.5%, 50.60%, and 73.50% of the variance CIE, CS, and OP respectively. The model’s Goodness-of-Fit measured by SRMR and RMS_theta was 0.55 and 0.101 within the acceptable benchmark. The hypothesis validated that CIE was supported by employees, strategy, information usefulness, and information providers. Also, CIE, employee role clarity, and customer satisfaction aided organisational performance. This study showed that CIE is vital in SA life assurance companies because of its close association with customer satisfaction and organisational performance. Moreover, this study highlighted that the success of CIE in SA life assurance companies is influenced by the leadership style, technological readiness of the organisation, corporate culture and the accuracy, and use of information for strategic decision-making. Future research should consider a similar study in other African countries and globally to find similarities in embedding CI in organisations. The future investigation should also consider short-term insurance and other industries to test this study’s conceptual model