Web crawler for weak signals´ searching via prioritization of specific sources of information

• Grant number: 18/10229-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computer Systems
• Principal Investigator: Ana Estela Antunes da Silva
• Grantee: Pedro Artico Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Tecnologia (FT). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Competitiveness among business organizations requires the development of strategies to anticipate threats and opportunities. Competitive intelligence considers that it is possible to monitor these threats and opportunities using weak signals (WS). WS are initial information on emerging and unknown phenomena whose analysis can provide strategic knowledge to companies. Conventional methods of tracking these signals still involve semi-automatic search of information. Some studies, however, suggest that Web-based technologies tend to be more suitable for WS monitoring. This project aims to develop a Web crawler specifically dedicated to the search of signals in sources selected by the professionals of strategic intelligence. This tool can support the decision-making through the presentation of summarized textual excerpts which can be considered WS. It is important to emphasize that this is a project that will support the development of a PhD thesis.