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   Meriam Library Websites for Business & Economics

Industry & Market Information
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Step #1
Industry indentification
Step #2
Industry overviews
Step #3
Specific industry info
Step #4
Marketing data & demographics
Step #5
Articles
and reports
Step #6
Trade associations
Step #7
Industry Ratios & Costs



Step #1 - Identify the industry

It is often helpful to define your industry according to the NAICS code system. This will help determine whether you are researching a manufacturing, retail, service, or other type of industry or product category.

  • NAICS = North American Industry Classification System
    It is available online or on Business Services Table 2B #10.
  • SIC = Standard Industrial Classification system.
    Though superceded by the NAICS, it is still in use. It is also available online and in print.

Step #2 - Industry Overviews
The library offers these sources:

On the web: //www.bizsites.com/Outlooks/industryoutlook.html

Step #3- Industry-specific reports
Use Google to locate industry reports from trade associations and others organizations. This is a useful strategy:

Combine keywords such as "survey", "trends", "outlook", "statistics", "market", "segments" or "overview" with the name of your chosen industry or line of business.

Search Example: "outdoor recreation" and "industry research"

Listed here are a few examples of sites that provide industry-level statistics and analysis. Note that many of them originate from trade associations.

Step #4 - Marketing Data and Demographics

  • California Retail Survey (BST 2B #46)
  • Consumer USA (BST 2B #22) - sales volume
  • Lifestyle Market Analyst (Business Service Table 2B #23) - excellent source for demographic information about customers
  • Mintel Oxygen This is the best source in the library for market research! (Before accessing the search screen, you will be prompted to set up an account with your CSU Chico email and accept the copyright.)
  • TableBase Excellent source for sales volume, market share, market size. Keyword searches links to graphs & full-text articles.
  • http://www.csuchico.edu/lref/guides/rbn/U.S. Census Bureau

Step #5 - Find Industry News & Articles

  • Mintel Oxygen In addition to market research reports, Mintel has news and industry trend updates. (Before accessing the search screen, you will be prompted to set up an account with your CSU Chico email and accept the copyright.)
  • ABI/Inform (ReSEARCH Station/Articles & Databases) http://www.csuchico.edu/lref/guides/rbn/
    For articles that discuss industry trends, use search terms such as "business conditions", "trends", "forecasts", or "industrywide conditions". Examples: soft drinks and business conditions or tourism and trends.

    Snapshots North America are market research reports available in ABI/Inform. It is available in the Databases Selected drop-down box.
  • Business Source Premier http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=bsi&defaultdb=buh
    Use BSP to find Industry Profiles, Market Research Reports and articles from trade associations.

    For articles use search terms such as "business conditions", "trends", "forecasts" combined with an industry or product name. Examples: soft drinks and business conditions or tourism and trends

Step #6 - Trade and Professional Associations
Trade association web sites offer news, legislative concerns, and industry analysis, data, research and trends.

Google is an quick and efficient way to find to find association pages if you know the name. If you don't already know an association's name, try www.marketingsource.com/associations/

  • ttp://www.competia.com/express/right.htmlEncyclopedia of Business Information Sources (Ready Reference, HF5353 E9)
  • Valuation Resources.com http://www.valuationresources.com/IndustryReport.htm
    Links to useful information arranged by SIC code.

Step #7 - Industry Ratios & Costs
When starting a business or comparing a company's performance to competitors in its industry, you will need sample financial statements, also known as "industry norms " or " operating ratios". These are found in printed sources known as "ratio books" (or online for a subscription price).

Use the following ratio sources on the Business Services Table:

  • Almanac of Business & Industrial Financial Ratios (BST 2A #57)
  • Financial Studies of the Small Business (BST 2A #25)
  • Industry Norms & Key Business Ratios (BST2A #61)
  • RMA Annual Statement Studies (BST 2A #43)

Other costs:
Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (BLS)
Media Market Guide (Reference, HF5826.5 M42)

This document compiled and maintained by:
Wendy Diamond

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