Abstract: 【Purpose/significance】This study aims to reveal the characteristics of competitive intelligence (CI) needs of SMEs in
China, and provides a reference for the theoretical and practical research of CI service【. Method/process】The scale of CI needs was de? signed, and the valid data of 243 SMEs were collected by using the questionnaire, and the reliability test and correlation analysis were conducted via SPSS21.0. Combining the characteristics of CI requirements, a comparative analysis was conducted in three dimensions: enterprise size, founding time, and property right.【Result/conclusion】SMEs in China have the most urgent needs for intelligence on market competition, innovation strategies, and product R&D, and relatively fewer needs for intelligence on industrial patent layouts, purchasers and substitutes. Needs vary across property right and are correlated with enterprise size and founding time.【Innovation/limitation】Based on a direct survey, the authors analyzed CI needs and offered tactics from the perspectives of government, external in? telligence agencies, and SMEs. However, the limited sample size may affect the generalizability of the findings.