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BUS C104 Business Presentations

Instructor: Kerle'

Basics of Business Research

This guide will help you learn which databases have what kinds of information:

What Info Where?

You can't buy tires at Taco Bell
and you can't get a SWOT analysis from Mintel. Different kinds of business-related information are created, tracked and published by different organizations, which means they show up in different databases. Knowing what you're looking for helps you search in the right places.

Demographics

Consumer/
Market Research

Industry/
Market Information

Company
Information

 

What is it? Data on …

age, race, ethnicity, education, income and religion of a population. behaviors, opinions and preferences of consumers performance and outlook of industries with regard to financial performance, competitors, and operating conditions financial performance, structure, initiatives, strengths and weaknesses of specific companies

 

 

Type of question answered by this information

  • How many people live in Indiana?
  • What is the racial makeup of Atlanta?
  • How many people in Bloomington are over 50 & have at least a bachelor’s degree?
  • What kind of branding works best for green products?
  • Who is most likely to buy healthier snacks?
  • What features are most important to car shoppers?
  • How much revenue do American breweries bring in?
  • How much money is spent on bottled water?
  • Will the market for electric cars grow or decline in the next 5 years?
  • How much revenue does Nike bring in annually?
  • What brands are owned by Unilever?
  • What are 3M’s most recent products?

 

Who creates/tracks/publishes this information?

US Census Bureau Researchers; some employed by market research firms, others working in academia in Business, Psychology or Economics departments. Industry analysts, Economists, Various US Government agencies, like the Bureau of Labor Statistics Business analysts, The Securities and Exchange Commission, The company itself, News sources

 

 

Which databases or websites have this kind of information?

Download a PDF of this guide below:

General Library Resources

  IUB Libraries Website

Use the "Research" tab to find databases by subject/discipline. The Business subject page has a curated list of business databases, or consult the A-Z Database link for a list of all the Indiana University Bloomington subscription databases. These resources must be accessed through the Libraries website or portals like this guide.

   Business/SPEA Citation Guide

Examples of how to cite business information in both MLA and APA citation formats.