Industry Research  Tags: industry naics sic industry_classification porter's_five_forces trade_associations industry_ratios  

You may find industry profiles in these UTSA databases:

Hoover's is a free website which is an excellent starting place for your industry research.  You can get short industry profiles, industry codes, trade associations, major competitors, industry news and more.

Search within these e-books or browse the table of contents.

Ø Identify your industry classification codes:

• Browse SIC & NAICS manuals
• Browse the Hoover's Industry directory
• Run a search for <industry name> industry hoovers
• Run a search for <industry name> NAICS
• Identify a major public company in your industry, check its company profile in the recommended databases for industry codes. Remember that a company may have more than one industry code.

Ø Determine how your industry fits into industry classifications (is it too narrow or too broad?). You might have to piece your industry analysis together from many sources.

Ø Check industry profiles in databases by NAICS/SIC or keyword.

Ø Review terminology used in the databases.

Ø Explore the recommended industry websites.

Ø Check if your industry is regulated and identify the regulatory body.

Ø Who are the major players in the industry?

Ø Locate their company profiles and specifically 10-Ks /annual reports.

Ø Identify trade associations and examine their websites for news, resources, industry experts.

Ø Search trade and business publications for industry news.

Ø Try different search engines to compare results.

Ø Sometimes you might have to pick up a phone and give a call to an industry expert. 

 Check the Polson Enterprises' Guide to Industry Research for additional ideas.

Every five years the U.S. Census Bureau profiles American business at the national and local levels. The data are collected at the establishment level, i.e. a single physical location where business is conducted. The types of data collected include the number of companies for a specific NAICS code, establishements, number of employees, annual payroll, cost of benefits, cost of health insurance, cost of materials, purchased fuels, total value of shipments, advertising and marketing expenses, taxes and license fees, and more.

To learn more about industry research using the economic census, consult this book:

Industry research using the economic census : how to find it, how to use it by Jennifer C. Boettcher, 2004.

Special thanks to Susan M. Klopper and the Goizueta Business Library for the inspiration and many ideas in creating this guide.