Career Development : Industry
Research Tips
There are three main sources for industry information:
- Industry reports/profiles through Library databases: relatively comprehensive overview (e.g., size, forecast, main players, current issues). A very new or niche industry may not have a dedicated report.
- Industry associations: may provide unique data and analysis not available elsewhere and some information may be free on the website.
- General media: newspapers, business magazines, trade publications, industry blogs. Use them to be informed of current developments related to an industry. They are especially useful if one cannot find a dedicated industry report. Use library article databases or do a Google search.
Industry Research
Which industry does your company operate in?
Two tips on finding out what industry or industries a company operates in:
- Most library databases that provide Company Profiles will include the primary industry (and sometimes secondary industries) the company is in. For example, in Business Insights:
- In IBISWorld, type in your company's name (or a main player's name if your company doesn't yield good results) to find relevant industry information:
- NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)Standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. Updated every 5 years.
Industry & Market Research Reports
Recommended:
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MintelMaintains market research reports and consumer demographic/lifestyle profiles covering U.S. and international marketplaces.
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PassportContains extensive statistics and analyses on countries, industries, companies, and consumers.
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StatistaProvides 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: GlobalProvides company and industry profiles, including SWOT reports, market share reports, investment reports, articles, financials, and case studies.
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Business Source PremierProvides full text and citations to articles in various business publications; also includes company profiles, industry profiles, and country information.
Others:
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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.
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Automotive News Data CenterMaintains international statistics on the automotive market including sales, production, inventory, and incentives. PSU faculty/staff/students please log in with your PSU (ODIN) ID to view username/password. Visitors please contact the Reference Desk.
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SMA: Sports Market Analytics (formerly SBRNet: Sport Business Research Network)Provides coverage of market segmentation for sporting goods, sports e-commerce, sports marketing, sports sponsorship, and sports facilities as well as articles on sports broadcasting and social media.
Industry/Trade Associations
An industry association is established to advocate for the industry and associated companies. They collect and provide unique data/articles/reports. Sometimes these sources are on their websites for free.
To find the industry association websites:
- Do a Google search with keywords followed by "association".
- Industry profiles in library databases may have a section for related associations. For example, in the IBISWorld report, look under "About this Industry", then "Additional Resources".