GSCM 458/558 Food Supply Chain Management: Company Research
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
- Business Insights: GlobalProvides company and industry profiles, including SWOT reports, market share reports, investment reports, articles, financials, and case studies.
- Mergent OnlineProvides detailed information on US and international public companies.
- Nexis UniIncludes full text sources for regional, national, and international newspapers as well as business, legal, and medical publications, and also, government documents.
- Investext (via Mergent Online)Provides reports written by analysts at investment banks, brokerage houses, and consulting firms. Reports cover financials and analysis on companies and select industries.
- Business Source PremierProvides 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.
SWOT Analysis in Library Databases
Library databases below may have a readily available SWOT report on select companies. Not all companies have a such a report, and even when there are SWOT reports, they are other people's opinions that you can consult and cite. You should, however, always create your own analysis.
- Investext (via Mergent Online)Search by company ticker/name and keyword (search whole report) SWOT. Check out the tutorial (click on question mark above) for details.
- Business Source PremierClick on Company Profiles on the top menu bar to get the MarketLine Report, which may contain a SWOT section.
- Business Insights: GlobalSearch for company profile; a SWOT report may be available for some companies.
- Passport (by Euromonitor)Search for company profile. There isn't a specific SWOT section, but the content (from a marketing perspective) can be used for SWOT analysis.
- IBISWorldThere is a "SWOT in the Industry" section (under "Industry at a Glance") in an industry report. NOTE: this is SWOT analysis of an industry, not a specific company.