With strong opinions and wry humor, world-recognized expert Benjamin Gilad reveals how to anticipate and react to early signs of trouble.Surprise is rarely a good thing in business. Unexpected developments range in their effects from inconvenient to disastrous. To avoid being blindsided, companies must develop a Competitive Early Warning system, or CEW, which combines strategic planning, competitive intelligence, and management action.Such systems let organizations manage risk more effectively and prevent "industry dissonance" -- when market realities outpace corporate strategies. Early Warning reveals how to:Change strategy to meet new realitiesLearn from the mistakes of others via the book's eye-opening storiesAvoid common tactics like benchmarking and using consultants, which may do more harm than goodTell executives what they need to know -- not what they want to hearEach chapter ends with a Manager's Checklist of key points, and the book includes numerous charts, tables, and tools.