[steve_gh]

> how to avoid the tail wagging the dog

Hahaha.

I once worked at a major telecoms equipment manufacturer. Our competition analysis group had two functions. One was to work out what our competitors were doing. But the really good people were tasked to find out what our engineering group was up to. Basically, they were powerful enough to do whatever they wanted, and screw the product managers and technical marketing folks who actually spoke to customers.

This company is basically no longer in existance.