Strategies for Industry Research
Links to the databases mentioned below are provided on the pull down menu above.
1. Identify the Industry
- Search Library database Business Source Elite for keywords that define an industry (e.g. "beauty supplies"). Follow the SUBJECT words and NAICS codes in resulting citations. Mark citations and take notes!
- Search/Browse the NAICS website to identify industry names and codes. Take notes!
- Search Nexis Uni 'Company Dossier' for known companies in an industry.
2. Current Articles about the Industry
- Search Business Source Elite and Nexis Uni periodical sources for current news. Also try other online News sources (see NEWS tab of this reseach guide. Be sure to consider the source when evaluating the information (newspaper, trade journal, academic journal, country of publication, publisher).
3. Browse Industry Overviews and Statistics
- Search Business Source Elite (by NAICS) and Nexis Uni (by SIC or TICKER). Be sure to select the correct search field/screen in each database. Combine with keywords like "trend" "overview" "forecast" or "market share".
- Search Business Source Elite and Nexis Uni, combining company/industry name with keywords like "market share" "market size" “ranking” “trends” “forecast” "market growth" "business growth" "market potential" “sales” “competitors” “competition” “performance”
- Search Nexis Uni'Company Dossier' for known companies and see the "Industry Classification" section of the company's "snapshot".
- Search Statista (library database) by industry type or business name to obtain statistics, graphs and reports which can be easily downloaded and inserted into presentations.
- U.S. Census Bureau Industry Statistics Portal: https://www.census.gov/econ/isp/
4. Identify Industry Leaders
- Search Nexis Uni 'Company Dossier' for known companies and see the "Key Competitors" section of the company's "snapshot".
5. Industry, Trade, and Association Websites
- Search Business Source Elite and Nexis Uni periodical sources for mention of trade organizations and associations.
- Search Google for organizational websites which can provide statistics, current trends and news.
6. Analyze Annual Reports (10-Ks)
- Annual Reports (flashy publications created for stockholders) may be found on company websites using Google.
- 10-K annual reports, filed by public companies with the SEC, are available from EDGAR and in the Nexis Uni 'Company Dossier'. 10-Ks have a "Business" section (Part I , Item I) that gives an overview of what that company does.
