Competitive and market analysis
How to lawfully study a market and its participants: structure, connections, real centers of influence
Updated 3 August 2026 · 8 min read
Competitive analysis begins where public reports end: who actually controls market players, which companies are connected to one another, and where relationships with key clients are concentrated. This information is built from open data but requires systematic work
This material sets out the methodology: from mapping participants using registries to identifying non-obvious connections and assessing actual market positions. A separate line is drawn between lawful analysis and industrial espionage - it runs along the method of obtaining information, not its value
Who this material is for
- for strategic and commercial functions
- for investors before entering an industry
- for companies preparing an M&A transaction
What it covers
- map of market participants and their connections
- identification of hidden affiliation
- assessment of players' actual positions
- sources and their reliability
- the boundary with industrial espionage
Competitors' internal documents, trade secrets and information obtained in violation of law are not used
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