LibGuides at USA: MKT 541: Strategic Marketing: Industry Research

Overview

To complete a thorough analysis of an industry, you will need to compile data from a variety of sources from reference books, governmental websites, industry articles and analysis from the library's electronic databases as well as magazines and newspapers. Each box on this page will guide you through these resources by type.

Many of our information tools use the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) codes that were developed to track data on American industries. SIC codes have now been replaced by a new classification system, the NAICS (North American Industry Classification System); however, many information tools continue to use SIC codes.

To understand a company and its competition, you will need to understand the industry of which the company is a part. Finding industry information includes the following steps:

Get an overview of the Industry

Find financial norms on trends to see if you locate forecasts

Gather statistics from government agencies and trade associations

Contact trade associations for additional information about the industry

Also, I encourage you to take a moment to read this article as well:

The Five Competitive Forces that shape Strategy
APA
(American Psychological Assoc.)
References

Porter, M. E. (2008). THE FIVE COMPETITIVE FORCES THAT SHAPE STRATEGY. Harvard Business Review, 86(1), 78-93. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Newspapers

Your first database to use for newspapers should be ProQuest. In ProQuest, you want to go review the first page and select what options you need and then select "Continue".

It is on this second page, you will want to review the tabs across the top and select "Advanced Search". In the first search box, use the pull-down menu and select "Company/Org" and enter a company name. In the remaining search boxes, use "Citation and Abstract" and enter any additional keywords that will help you narrow your results such as marketing, human resources, strategy, etc.

If you decide you only want articles from a specific publication such as Wall Street Journal or Barron's, enter the publication title in the form under "More Search Options".

After the search is complete, review the results and click on "Refine Search" to modify any search terms or click on any of the "Suggested Topic" Links.

Proquest Newsstand

Business Magazines

These titles are available in the MCOB Magazine Area:

American Shipper

Business Alabama

Birmingham Business

Event Management Journal

Focus on Retail

U.S. Government Resources

The University of South Alabama's Library System is designated as a regional depository for government information. The Government Document Collection is housed at the Main Library on the second floor across from reference. Every business student and business person should be fully aware of what the government offers to us at no charge. I would estimate that 50% of needed data for industry research comes from this source.

This department has created a guide for business people on what sources to use. Here is a link to that guide:

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics contains information on consumer spending, inflation, pricing, employment and unemployment as well as productivity data.
Business Guide to Government Documents
A course guide developed by our Government Documents Library experts. These librarians (and the regional government depository holdings) reside on the second floor in the Main Library.
Consumer Expenditure Survey
The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) program consists of two surveys, the Quarterly Interview Survey and the Diary Survey, that provide information on the buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers) characteristics.
County Business Patterns
The series excludes data on self-employed individuals, employees of private households, railroad employees, agricultural production employees, and most government employees.
The Economic Census
The Economic Census profiles American business every 5 years, from the national to the local level. You can search by NAICS code.
Foreign Trade
If you need Import or Export data, this database (as well as the economic census) are the main sources of information.
Industry Statistics Portal
An excellent resource to research industry statistical data by NAICS and geography.
North America Industry Classification System (NAICS)
1997-present
Use this link to locate the NAICS classification. You need the NAICS code to search many of our databases as well as the government census data.
Population Distribution Change U.S. Census 2000-2010
This link guides you to the document that covers the population changes between census years 2000-2010
Quick Facts U.S. Census
If you need to know the changes in population growth by county or zip code, this is a great resource.
U.S. Department of Commerce
Categories:

* Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services
* Advance Report on Durable Goods
* Bureau of Economic Analysis
* Census Bureau
* Construction Put in Place
* Gross Domestic Product
* Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders
* Manufacturing and Trade: Inventories and Sales
* Monthly Wholesale Trade
* New Residential Construction
* New Residential Sales
* Personal Income a

Library Databases

Here is a list of recommended databases in alphabetical order that are in the library databases to assist you in industry research:

Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new window
Formerly Business and Company Resource Center, this database is a fully integrated resource bringing together company profiles, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies and periodicals. Search this database to find detailed company and industry news and information.
Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
This database allows you to search by industry code or industry description by choosing the option from the drop down box on the first line of the search field.
Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
A robust resource that contains Moody's Manuals since 1909 (WebReports), InvestorEdge that tracks company and industry performance, NAICS/SIC Code searching and more. Under the "Economics" tab, review more information about industries and commodities. You can also link to EDGAR from this database for latest company filings. You can also pull Industry Ratio reports by selecting 'Comparison Reports'.
Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage This link opens in a new window
Click on the Industry Surveys tab at the top of the page. The drop-down menu provides a list of the approximately 50 industries covered in alphabetical order. Reports are updated every six months.

Library Reference Sources

Here is a listing of recommended reference materials to research industry information:

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS Handbook) (MCOB Reference 1042.N67 2012)

Standard Industry Code Classification [SIC] (MCOB Reference HF 1042.A55)

Almanac of Business and Industrial Ratios [Troy's] (MCOB Reference HF 5681.R25 T68)

Annual Statement Studies: Financial Ratio Benchmarks [Robert Morris Association] (MCOB Reference HF 5681.B2 R6) - this title is organized according to the North American Classification Systems (NAICS) and contains composite financial data. Financial Statements on each industry are shown in common size, acccompanied by widely used ratios. Balance Sheets and Income Statements are shown in common size, with each item a percentage of total assets and sales (or revenues) respectively.

Encyclopedia of Associations (HS 17 G32)

Industry Profiles 2010 [Hoover's] (MCOB Reference HD2 328.H363 2010)

Industry Research Using The Economic Census (MCOB HC 101.B594)

Inside U.S. Business (MCOB Reference 106.8.M337)

Market Guide: Market Rankings (MCOB Reference HF 5905.E38 2010)

Online Resources

These are several recommendations regarding online resources not in the library holdings:

BizMiner - Industry Reports include financial analysis, market research, and local business summary.

Thomas Register
After a free registration process, use this directory to locate companies and products manufactured in the U.S.

Trade Associations

Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new window
To search for trade associations, go to the Advanced Search page. Instead of Keyword search, select Association from the pull-down menu. Search by Association Name, Description, NAICS, SIC, State or Country.