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Business Management

A research guide for students and faculty in the College of Business & Management.

Market Research Resources

Business Source Complete contains some industry reports, and a large collection of business focused peer-reviewed journals, magazines, trade publications, and news resources that often contain information on specific markets. 

You can narrow by Source Type including:

  • Market Research Reports: Results include Media Industry Newsletter, Bernstein Black Book, and Aroq Limited.
  • Industry Profiles: including MarketLine Industry Profiles, FRPT Research, and Barnes Reports.
  • SWOT Analyses: including MarketLine SWOT Analysis by company (i.e. Comcast, Disney, Apple)

 

Sample Search:

1) Click on Business Source Complete (link above) and type one or two basic keywords about your industry into the search box.

Business Source Complete, Basic Search for video production

2) Use the Refine Results column on the left and scroll down to Source Type. Click on the blue "Show More" link to see all the Source Type categories. 

Under Source Types, Select Show More

3) Select one category at a time such as Market Research Reports, Industry Profiles, or SWOT Analyses and click Update

Select a Source Type such as Market Research Reports

 

First Research by Mergent:

Use this database to learn more about industries including industry overviews, forecasts, business challenges, trends and opportunities, and call prep questions.

Note: You will have multiple screens that you need to click through to access this database.  Click on Continue, then Continue, and finally Submit.  Go to the Find Industry Information page on the Business LibGuide for screenshots and detailed instructions.

Sample Industry Overview:

Sample Industry Overview for the Motion Picture Production & Distribution Industry

 
What are NAICS Codes? 

NAICS (pronounced Nakes) codes help classify and measure industry activity.  NAICS replaced the SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) system in 1997.  Knowing the code for your industry will help you find reports, articles, and other information on that industry.  

For more information, see NAICS Frequently Asked Questions.

NAICS replaced the SIC in 1997. The SIC Manual is available online through the U.S. Department of Labor.  While SIC was last updated in 1987, organizations and state and local agencies may continue to use the SIC for their own purposes, but these non-statistical uses are outside the scope of the Federal economic statistical programs. 

Use Mergent Online (link above) to search for company information.  

1) In the basic Company Search box, type in the company symbol or name and click Go

Mergent Online Company Search Box

2) Click on the correct company in the results list.  Tip: Get only 1 result if you search by symbol. 

Mergent Online Results List for AAPL

3) You'll see the Company Details page and can click on the tabs for more information. 

Mergent Online, Company Example: Apple Inc

4) You can download each tab individually or get a longer report by clicking on the Reports tab and then Mergent Reports.

Mergent Online, Company Reports

5) Choose the type of Predefined Reports on the left and then select a format on the right. 

Mergent Online, Report types and download options

 

For finding company information in other library databases, see the Find Company Information page on the Business LibGuide.

Consumer Expenditure Surveys: provides data on expenditures, income, and demographic characteristics of consumers in the United States. Data is collected by the Census Bureau for BLS in two surveys: the Interview Survey for major and/or recurring items and the Diary Survey for more minor or frequently purchased items.

 

Pew Research Center: Social & Demographic Trends:  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 

 

American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI): The ACSI measures consumer satisfaction with more than 200 companies in 43 industries plus the federal government. Find specifics under Industries for more information.

 

ESRI Tapestry Segmentation: This freely available interactive mapping website allows you to search for brief synopses of the lifestyle choices of those who make up specific zip codes or neighborhoods.

 

American Census Data:  Primary way to access Census Bureau data, including releases from the 2018 American Community Survey, 2017 Economic Census, 2020 Census and more. Use data.census.gov to view, print, and download statistics about population, housing, industry, and business.

 

U.S. Census' Quick FactsQuickFacts provides easy access quick demographics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with more than 5,000 people.

 

The World FactbookThis C.I.A website contains profiles for all of the nations around the world, including demographic profiles and statistics. It has detailed descriptions and demographic information for each country are presented to user, such as: Population, Median Age, Urbanization, Economy, and Government.