The term "micro level" as used in marketing refers to a close study of an individual competing product, as when Protor & Gamble (maker of Pringle's potato chips) might commission a careful study of the appeal of the potato chips sold by Pepsico under the Frito-Lay brand.
Types
Competitive intelligence (CI) is an aspect of marketing that can be developed at either of two levels. The macro level aims at an overall picture of the competitor, its corporate culture, its structure and customer base. The micro level works on a single-product picture and considers things such as the competing product's features, customer reactions and conformity to applicable regulations and industry standards.
Time Frame
A company might have a regular CI unit. According to John McGonagle and Carolyn Vella, authors of "The Internet Age of Competitive Intelligence," if such a unit does its job properly, "its tasks will inevitably tend to shift over time." The first job will be to locate macro-level data, often historical. As that is done, the unit's workload will move toward more contemporary and micro material.
Academic Neglect
The subject of CI, at both the macro and micro level, is relatively neglected in academic studies of economic competition, according to a "SAM Advanced Management Journal" article.
Tags: micro level, competing product, potato chips