Industry Sources - General

Overview

There are various industry specific and general sources for industry information. Included here is a list of some of the sources of a more basic nature or sources with information on multiple industries. Since many trade associations provide some data on their web pages as well as produce print source that many libraries subscribe to, I have also included sources on finding trade associations.

Also, there are many, many directories in print and electronic formats that may of some use in finding those companies that compose the industry. The Business Reference Services Doing Company Research guide lists a few of these in the Directories section. If you are looking for information on how a particular company fares within its industry or how industries compare with each other, sources on peer review listed in the Doing Company Research guide may be helpful.

Although there are too many industries to include specific sources for all of them, the guide does list a few basic sources for some very big/common industries. Also, included are links to guides created by the Library of Congress.

It should also be noted that there are a few publishers that focus on certain industries. Platt's is good for oil and gas, Cision (formerly Bacon's; still publishes Bacon's Media Directories ) is good for communications, SNL/Kagan is good for all aspects of telecommunications, while Plunkett's publishes information on many different industries.

Issue 9/10: Summer/Fall 2007
Updated January 2013

Guide to Industry Research

Table of Contents

Introduction
Basic Strategies
Classification Codes
Industry Sources - United States Government
Industry Sources - General
Industry Sources - Historical

You can find specific titles on the publishers' web pages or by contacting these companies directly. It should be noted that many of the titles are not widely available in libraries because they can be quite expensive. Some of these publishers, Platt's for instance, do publish periodicals that are included in full-text databases. For example, some Platt's publications can be found on the subscription database Factiva.

PRINT RESOURCES

Encyclopedia of American industries. Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research, c1994 - present.
LC Call Number: HC102 .E53
LC Catalog Record: 2001223283

This data is also available in Gale's Business & Company Resource Center database.

Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries. Detroit : Gale, c1998-.
LC Call Number: HD2324.E528
LC Catalog Record: 98660099

Fairly in-depth industry overviews with charts/graphics. This data is also available in Gale Cengage's Business Insights: Global database.

Encyclopedia of Global Industries. Detroit, MI : Gale Research, 1996 - present.
LC Call Number: HD2324.E53
LC Catalog Record: 97661013

Fairly in-depth industry overviews with charts/graphics. This data is also available in Gale Cengage's Business Insights: Global database.

Market Share Reporter. Detroit, MI : Gale Research, c. 1991 - present.
LC Call Number: HF5410.M35
LC Catalog Record: 91649704

This publication is a compilation of top lists of companies and products, which originally appeared in various publications, and articles. It is a companion to the World Market Share Reporter, but focuses on the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This data is also available in Gale Cengage's Business Insights: Global database.

Mergent's Industry Review. New York, NY : Mergent FIS, c1999-
LC Call Number: HG4961 .M68
LC Catalog Record: sn 99048772

Mergent's subscription database product Mergent Online also has industry reports that cover the U.S. as well as Asia-Pacific and Europe Access to the database is limited to onsite patrons.

S&P Industry Surveys [New York] Standard & Poor's Corp.
LC Call Number: HC106.6.S74
LC Catalog Record: 77183941

These reports are produced only online now and are available on the subscription database S&P NetAdvantage Access to the database limited to patrons onsite.

World Market Share Reporter. New York : Gale Research Inc., c1995-2001.
LC Call Number: HD2757.15.W67
LC Catalog Record: 95660036

This is a publication that is a compilation of top list of companies, products pulled from various publications, articles, etc. It is a companion to Market Share Reporter.

ASSOCIATIONS

United States

This data is also available in Gale Cengage's Business Insights: Global database. Access to the database is limited to onsite patrons.

This data is also available in Gale Cengage's Business Insights: Global database. Access to the database is limited to onsite patrons.

This data is also available in Gale Cengage's Business Insights: Global database. Access to the database is limited to onsite patrons.

National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States. Washington, DC : Columbia Books, 1989 - present.
LC Call Number: HD2425 .D53
LC Catalog Record: 89659004

State and Regional Associations of the United States. Washington, D.C. : Columbia Books, 1989 - present.
LC Call Number: HD2425 .S68
LC Catalog Record: 89641902

International

Encyclopedia of Associations. International Organizations. Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research, c1989 - present.
LC Call Number: AS8 .E53
LC Catalog Record: 89645065

This data is also available in Gale Cengage's Business Insights: Global database. Access to the database is limited to onsite patrons.

International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics. Vienna : United Nations Industrial Development Organization ; Aldershot, England ; Brookfield, Vt., USA : Edward Elgar, 1995 - present.
LC Call Number: HC10 .I673
LC Catalog Record: 95648426
http://www.unido.org/doc/18263

Structural statistics for industry and services = Statistiques de[s] structures de l'industrie et des services. Paris, France : Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, c2001 - present.
LC Call Number: HC10 .I614
LC Catalog Record: 2001242108

INTERNET RESOURCES

United States Industries

Yahoo! Industry Center
http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/index.html

Industry Research Rutgers University Libraries
http://libguides.rutgers.edu/industries

International Industries

Enterprise, Industry and Services OECD
http://www.oecd.org/topic/

Statistical Agencies (International)
http://www.census.gov/aboutus/stat_int.html

Canadian Industry Statistics
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_ecnmy/sio/homepage.html

UK Industry Statistics (see Business & Energy)
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/browse-by-theme/index.html

UK Trade & Investment (UK Dept. of Trade and Industry)
https://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/

Australian Industry Statistics (see Statistics, by Topic)
http://www.abs.gov.au/

New Zealand Industry Statistics
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors.aspx

Guides to Specific Industries

Automotive
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/BERA/issue2/issue2_main.html

Business of Beauty
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/BERA/issue17/issue17_main.html

Nonprofit
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/nonprofits/nonprofits_main.html

Service Industries
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/guide/guide1/sharp4.html

Sports Business
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/BERA/issue3/issue3_main.html

Oil & Gas
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/BERA/issue5/issue5_main.html

Travel & Tourism
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/BERA/issue11/issue11_main.html

BIBLIOGRAPHIES & GUIDES

Below are a few selected bibliographies and guides that have been created by librarians at other universities. Some resources will only be available to students but check your local public library or your university library if you are a student to see what you have access to.

Ithaca College - How to Research an Industry
http://www.ithacalibrary.com/sp/subjects/industryresearch

This guide provides some helpful ideas and questions to consider in doing industry research. Included are some helpful Sidebars like ones on SWOT analysis and a powerpoint presentation.

University of Pittsburgh - Industry Research
http://www.library.pitt.edu/guides/business/industry.html

This guide is helpful with some specific links to particular industries like healthcare, retail, mines/minerals, etc.

University of Washington - Industry Research
http://guides.lib.washington.edu/industryresearch

Included are some helpful resources for industry reports and a few website resources. Also of interest is the transcript and video.

DATABASES

Many of the full-text subscription databases can be used to search for articles discussing a particular industry. Many of these are available in many university or public libraries for use by patrons and students. Some are very good at subject indexing and some — like Business & Industry and TableBase — also use the SIC/NAICS code systems.

Select the links below to see descriptions of several databases of particular use for industry research. To see a listing of other subscription databases available for users at the Library of Congress, please go to the Library of Congress E-Resources Online Catalog. In addition to resources listed on that page under the subjects Business and Management and Economics, business researchers may also be interested in resources listed under E-Journals, E-Books and Other Search Tools. Please note that subscription databases described on these pages may only be accessed by patrons on site at the Library of Congress.

• Factiva


• ABI/INFORM Complete (ProQuest)


• General OneFile (Gale)


• Business & Industry (RDS)


• Business Insights: Global (Gale)


• TableBase (Gale)


• Business Source Complete (EBSCO)


• Plunkett Research


• First Research (Hoover's)


• ProQuest Snapshots (ProQuest)

Other databases to mention are S&P’s NetAdvantage which does have copies of the S&P industry surveys and Mergent Online which has historical copies of the Moody’s Manuals but also has industry reports for various industry in North American, Asia Pacific, and Europe. Business & Company Resource Center (Gale) also has Datamonitor reports as well as information from Gale’s print titles that cover industry information (see PRINT sources above).

Subjects

Additional works on various industries in the Library of Congress may be identified by searching the Online Catalog under appropriate Library of Congress subject headings. Below is just a sampling of industries. Selecting a subject headings below will link you directly to the Catalog and automatically execute a search for the authorized subject selected. Please be aware that during periods of heavy use you may encounter delays in accessing the catalog. For assistance in locating other subject headings related to this topic, please consult a reference librarian.

Last Updated: 01/08/2013