Guide for GSCM Students: Company & Industry Info
SCM info on a company
Companies are not required to disclose details of their suppliers or supply chain practices. Here are some possible sources to check:
- Company website:
- 10-K: information is usually under Item 1 Business and Item 2 Properties. Or search by keywords like manufacturing, distribution, supply, supply chain, supplier, sourcing, purchasing, logistics, procurement to find the relevant sections (you can search for variations of a keyword by typing in the beginning part, e.g., distribut will find distribute, distributor, or distribution). The level of details varies by company. Also, a public company is required to disclose if a customer accounts for more than 10% of its revenue.
- 10-Q or 8-K: may have info on acquisitions, divestitures, or significant events related to the supply chain.
- There may be a specific section dedicated to information related to suppliers. If available, a sustainability or social responsibility report might shed some light too.
- Press releases (sometimes called News, or Media).
- Conference calls transcripts.
- Bloomberg Terminal: e.g., SBUX <Equity> SPLC <GO> to reveal a list of suppliers, customers, and competitors of Starbucks.
- Articles: prominent companies' supply chains are often discussed. Google or use library article databases such as Business Source Premier and Nexis Uni. In addition to the keywords suggested above, also try joint venture, partnership, contract manufacturer or contract factory, outsourcing, inventory management, warehouse, etc.
- IBISWorld (library database): find a report on the industry your company operates in. The Supply Chain sub-section under About shows the supply chain ecosystem surrounding your industry.
- Investext (library database): do a keyword + company name search for analyst reports.
If possible, conduct primary research such as visiting the company/store and interviewing company management/employee.
Company Information
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Business Insights: Global This link opens in a new windowProvides company and industry profiles, including SWOT reports, market share reports, investment reports, articles, financials, and case studies.
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Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowProvides detailed information on US and international public companies.
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Nexis Uni This link opens in a new windowIncludes full text sources for regional, national, and international newspapers as well as business, legal, and medical publications, and also, government documents.
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Investext (via Mergent Online) This link opens in a new windowProvides reports written by analysts at investment banks, brokerage houses, and consulting firms. Reports cover financials and analysis on companies and select industries.
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Business Source Premier This link opens in a new windowProvides full text and citations to articles in various business publications; also includes company profiles, industry profiles, and country information.
** In the US, private companies are not required to release much information, esp. financial data. For smaller private companies, in addition to databases above, your best bet will be the company website/social media channels and articles (from newspaper, trade publications, etc.). Check out the Company Research guide for more information on researching private companies.
CRB Commodity Yearbook
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CRB Commodity Yearbook Online This link opens in a new windowProvides worldwide supply/demand and production/consumption data for all the basic commodities and futures markets.
Industry Information
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Mintel This link opens in a new windowMaintains market research reports and consumer demographic/lifestyle profiles covering U.S. and international marketplaces.
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Passport (by Euromonitor) This link opens in a new windowContains extensive statistics and analyses on countries, industries, companies, and consumers.
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Statista This link opens in a new windowProvides statistics from over 18,000 free and proprietary sources on a wide range of topics such as business, media, and demographics.
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Business Insights: Global This link opens in a new windowProvides company and industry profiles, including SWOT reports, market share reports, investment reports, articles, financials, and case studies.
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Business Source Premier This link opens in a new windowProvides full text and citations to articles in various business publications; also includes company profiles, industry profiles, and country information.
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Investext (via Mergent Online) This link opens in a new windowProvides reports written by analysts at investment banks, brokerage houses, and consulting firms. Reports cover financials and analysis on companies and select industries.