This is a selected guide for research on Industry Information in the McFarlin Library Collection.
Industry research is important for strategic planning. Designing marketing plans, tracking company performance, assessing competitors, and evaluating capital investment all depend on good industry intelligence.
Also information is often not provided exactly as you may be seeking it. Many general resources provide background on a broad level which still contribute to a good business analysis. Once you've spent some time evaluating the industry, related research such as company assessment will be easier.
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Industry data is often reported in broad or aggregated form. Use it to provide background for your analysis.
The following steps will help organize the research process:
To find articles about a particular industry, search the following electronic indexes:
Business Source Complete via EBSCOhost
Business Source Elite provides full text from over 1,020 journals covering business, management, economics, banking, finance, accounting and much more. In addition to the full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for nearly 1,560 journals. This database contains popular business publications such as Business Week, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, and hundreds of scholarly, peer reviewed journals. Also included is Wall Street Words, a dictionary of financial terms, linked directly to words within the citations and full text.
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
Standard & Poor's is a comprehensive source of business and investment information, offering on-line access to Standard & Poor's independent research, data and commentary on stocks, bonds, funds, anad industries.
Mergent Online's enhanced features and functions include the ability to:
Use these guides to identify resources such as industry journals, statistical sources, and trade associations for the industry:
McF Reference; AS22 .E5
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McFarlin Books; HF5353 .E9
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Encyclopedia of business information sources
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McFarlin Books; HF1042 .N6
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McFarlin Books; HD2425 .D53
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National trade and professional associations of the United States
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Follow web link
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Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC) Index
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The following sources are helpful in providing an overview of the industry:
McFarlin Books; HD9721 .E53
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Encyclopedia of American industries
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McFarlin Books; HD9721 .M364
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Manufacturing USA : industry analyses, statistics, and leading companies
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McFarlin Books; HD9981.1 .S47
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Service industries USA : industry analyses, statistics, and leading organizations
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Follow link - Online source
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Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
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McF GovDoc Reference; C 61.48:
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McFarlin Books; HF3001 .U86
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U.S. market trends & forecasts
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Follow link - Online source
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McFarlin Books; HF5421 .W58 | Wholesale and retail trade USA |
Industry ratios give an average of costs and expenditures in specific industries. Company strength can be evaluated by comparing the company ratios to the industry standard. Ratios are used for financial analysis of assets, debt, sales, profit, labor, advertising, etc.
The following specialized sources are helpful in finding information on industry norms and business ratios:
McF Reference; HF5681.R25 A45
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Almanac of business and industrial financial ratios
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McFarlin Books; HD2346.U5 F55
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Financial studies of the small business
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McFarlin Books; HF5681.R25 I53
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Industry norms and key business ratios
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McFarlin Books; HF5681.B2 R6 | RMA Annual statement studies |
Statistics such as average industry production levels, annual sales, and market size can contribute to your understanding of the industry.
The following sources are helpful in finding information on industry statistics:
McFarlin Books; HD9721 .M364
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McF Reference; HD9981.1 .S47
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Follow link - Online source
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Follow link - Online source
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Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
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McFarlin Books; HF5421 .W58
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Wholesale and retail trade USA
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Sources of economic statistics assess the overall direction of the economy. They are typically collections of data from a variety of originating agencies. They may also provide a useful historical pattern.
The following sources are helpful in finding information on economic data:
Follow link
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Budget of the United States Government
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McF Reference; HC101 .S978
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Business statistics of the United States
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Follow link
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McF Reference; HC103 .F9 2006
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Follow link
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Follow link - Online source
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Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
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McFarlin Government Docs; C 3.134
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Statistical abstract of the United States
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Searching for industry information on the Web requires creativity. Possible sources are trade or professional associations related to the industry.
Web site for Census data such as Economic Censuses and Current Industrial Reports.
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