Business Research Databases

Business Research Databases

vgonzalez@framingham.edu

How to begin

• Ask yourself – what kind of information your are looking for? What type of information do you need?

• Learn the basic language of business, mechanics of a balance sheet

• Do some pre-research on your topic• Remember – private and foreign company

information are difficult to find; numbers are easily manipulated; business research is not financial analysis; and learning about company/industry is a process

Types of Research Questions

• Company Research• Industry Research• Statistics• Marketing and/or demographics

Company Research Questions

• Is the company private or public?• Is the company U.S. or foreign-owned?• Is the company located in the U.S?• Is the company a local company?• Is the company located abroad?

Industry Research

• What industry does the company belongs in?• Who are the competitors?• What are the industry’s metrics?• What is the state of the industry?• What newsworthy events are shaping the

industry?

Marketing Research (different from market research)

• What is the perception of the company?• Who are the customers?• What are their behaviors, customs, and

spending habits?• How are the company’s competitors reaching

their customers?

Sources

Pre-Research: terms, ticker symbol, news

• Credo Reference (e-books)– Business: The Ultimate Resource, Dictionary of Accounting, Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms, The Ultimate Business Library

• Gale Virtual Reference Library ( e-books) – Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

• Yahoo Finance (“Get Quotes” Search box), Google Finance, Hoovers (free version)

• Lexis Nexis Academic – Company Dossier

Industry (coverage on competitors, NAICS codes, industry

metrics)• Gale Virtual Reference Library (e-books) –

Encyclopedia of American Industries (also in available in print)

• EBSCO’s Business Source Premier – Industry Profile

• Hoover’s Industries A-to-Z (free info), Hoover’s paid content is available through Lexis Nexis

Company Research

• Plunkett’s Retail Industry Almanac 2009 • Business Source Premier – Market Research

Reports, SWOT Analysis• InfoTrac’s General Business File – Advanced

Search/Company Profiles

Company Research

• International Directory of Company Histories• LexisNexis Academic – Business/Company

Dossier (enter the TKR symbol), access Hoover’s full report, SEC filings, company news

• Mergent Online – Search by TKR symbol, access annual reports, competitors, create a report

Stealth, Beta Companies

• Do keyword searches on job search websites like Monster.com and Career Builder

• Monitor tradeshows• Monitor news, blogs, press releases (through

LexisNexis)

Marketing Research

• ABI Inform – marketing information like advertising campaigns, demographics, customers

• The American Marketplace – demographics information

People search

• Pipl• Zoominfo• Zabasearch

Screenshots: Researching WalMart

Industry, SWOTS, Market Research Reports: Business Source Premier

Marketing Info: ABI Inform

SEC Filings, News Search: LexisNexis

Good Business Search: General Business File ASAP

Financials and History Search: Mergent Online

Library Guide for Economics and Business Administration Research

Whittemore Library’s Business Lounge