Globalization, mergers and acquisitions and the Internet have created a new demand for “competitive intelligence,” a euphemism for corporate information gathering or more boldly, corporate spying. Competitive intelligence involves gathering and analyzing information from various sources, including “the Internet, court documents, patent filings, conversations with rival salespeople or engineers.” Defenders of competitive intelligence say that the information is used to avoid partnering with firms who may have engaged in questionable activity and that a code of ethics guides the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals, but skeptics argue that the interpretation of what is ethical and what isn’t can vary greatly.
See "To gain an edge, firms hire sleuths", Craig Savoye, The Christian Science Monitor, July 2, 2001