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BUSN 303: New Venture Creation: Industry Research

Course Guide for Professor Grether

INDUSTRY RESEARCH

WHAT IS INDUSTRY RESEARCH?

KEY INDUSTRY RESEARCH LIBRARY RESOURCES

Some library resources allow you to search SIC and/or NAICS codes. It is very helpful to know what your industry code is before starting your research in the Library and government resources. 

The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) are numerical classification systems created by the United States government.  These systems are used to group/classify similar companies into industries for the purposes of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. While NAICS has "officially" replaced SIC, many business directories and databases still use one or both of the systems.  Therefore, it is important to know about both SIC and NAICS.

SIC CODES

The SIC system was originally developed in the 1930s and was last updated in 1987. It consists of four-digit numbers that apply to a company based on the type of products or services it produces.

  • An example of an SIC Code is: 5812 = Eating Places

​​​​NAICS CODES

The NAICS system was first released in 2002 and is currently in use. The NAICS employs six digits to allow for a more detailed system of industry classification. 

  • An example of a NAICS Code is: 722110 = Full Service Restaurants

Statista provides statistical data on many topics including media, business, politics, society, technology and education. Sources include market reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases. 

Industry Overview

If looking for a specific industry, click the Reports dropdown menu, and choose Industry Reports.

 

Business Source Elite is our newest business database. It is a mostly full-text, major business resource which includes access to market research reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses and Harvard Business Review.

The advanced search page allows limiting by Publication Type, and for market research we suggest using the Industry Profile type.

ProQuest Central is our most popular business database. It includes a sub-collection called Business Market Research:

Business Market Research Collection (1986 - current): contains company, industry, economic and geopolitical market research Hoover's Company Profiles, OxResearch, and Snapshots.

If you are researching marketing or market shares, there are a few options in Advanced Search that might help you find what you are looking for. 

Document Type allows you to limit your results to specific types of documents. We suggest checking these options for market research:

  • Annual Report
  • Business Plan
  • Company Profile
  • Industry Report
  • Market Report
  • Market Research

You can also search by company or NAICS code.

Key U.S. Government and open access sources

Library Homepage

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