Business Information Guides
Strauss's Handbook of Business Information by Call Number: Z7164.C81 S7796 2004, Wells Reference CollectionISBN: 1563085208Publication Date: 2003-11-30
ALA Guide to Economics and Business Reference by Call Number: HB61 .A423 2011, Business/SPEA ReferenceISBN: 9780838910245Publication Date: 2010-09-01
Who Produces Business Information?
Analysts: Some businesses exist to provide strategic business intelligence to other business clients. These businesses will typically specialize and generate a particular type of information like company or industry reports, market research, credit ratings, or investment research reports.
Associations: This category includes trade and professional associations. Trade associations generally serve a single, specific industry and keep their members informed by providing news, market research, and practical guides for operating in that industry. Professional associations are for individuals working in a particular field and generally serve to educate its members and advocate for the profession by offering news and best practices.
Companies: Companies generate a variety of information about themselves through marketing efforts, websites, press releases, and annual reports.
Government: The United States government collects large quantities of pertinent business data—industry statistics, demographics, economic indicators—through agencies like the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Department of Commerce. In addition, state and local governments provide local statistics and data, small business resources, and legal information.
Press: Numerous news publications, like the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and Forbes, provide information to the business community. Furthermore, almost every newspaper contains a business section, which is a good source of information on small, local companies and local business issues.
Public: This category includes information produced by bloggers and social media users and can yield market and company intelligence, competitor and product analysis, and career information.
Organizations: This category is dominated by non-governmental organizations, like the OECD, United Nations, and World Bank. These organizations collect large amounts of economic data—demographics, economic indicators, industry statistics, and country analyses—from all over the world and disseminate it freely.
Business Information Resources
Analyst Reports: Reports from major investment banks and business information providers.
- MarketLine Advantage
Original industry and company reports based on published research and primary and secondary data sources.
Annual Reports: Report on a company's annual activities; provided to shareholders
• Company Website (usually in "Investor Relations" section)
Company Profiles/Reports: Provides history, key executives/contacts, financials, etc.
- Factiva
Provides full-text access to national and international newspapers, trade publications, business newswires, media transcripts, news photos, business-rich websites, investment analyst reports, market research reports, country and regional profiles, company profiles, and historical market data.
- Nexis Uni
Includes articles from local, regional, national and international newspapers, magazines, online journals, television and radio broadcasts, newswires and blogs, transcripts, and legal research, as well as federal and state cases and statutes, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions since 1790. Also includes access to Nexis Dossier.
- Mergent Intellect
Provides access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, facts and figures, executive contact information, and the ability to access industry profiles.
- Reference Solutions
Detailed business and consumer data on businesses in both the U.S. and Canada. Includes directory information, health care, and residential listings. Search by company name, geographic area, business type, SIC code, yellow page listing, revenue, location, number of employees or any combination of the above. In addition to address and phone number, each entry includes officer names and titles, corporate affiliation, business type and size of yellow page advertising. Toll free and fax numbers are given for some companies.
Financial Statements (Accounting): Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, Income Statement.
- Factiva
Provides full-text access to national and international newspapers, trade publications, business newswires, media transcripts, news photos, business-rich websites, investment analyst reports, market research reports, country and regional profiles, company profiles, and historical market data.
- Mergent Online
Database of corporate information covering over 22,000 US and foreign public companies. Includes access to Investext reports written by analysts at investment banks, brokerage houses, and consulting firms. Reports cover financials and analysis on companies and select industries.
Industry Reports: Trends, operations, statistics.
- MarketLine Advantage
Original industry and company reports based on published research and primary and secondary data sources.
- Passport GMID: Global Market Information Database
Please note: Euromonitor allows access to IU faculty, staff, and students only. Authorized users may utilize the information obtained from this resource for academic, non-commercial purposes only, and only during the time of official affiliation with IU. Passport is a global market research database encompassing historical and forecasted statistics, reports & interactive tools on industries, economies and consumers in 210 different countries and territories. Passport also tracks the effects of COVID-19 for 50 different countries
Market Research Reports: Demographics, psychographics, lifestyle trends, marketing channels.
- Mintel Reports
Please note: Mintel allows access for IUB faculty, staff, and students only. Market research reports covering US and International markets with an emphasis on consumer products and industries.
- Passport GMID: Global Market Information Database
Please note: Euromonitor allows access to IU faculty, staff, and students only. Authorized users may utilize the information obtained from this resource for academic, non-commercial purposes only, and only during the time of official affiliation with IU. Passport is a global market research database encompassing historical and forecasted statistics, reports & interactive tools on industries, economies and consumers in 210 different countries and territories. Passport also tracks the effects of COVID-19 for 50 different countries
News, Trade & Scholarly Literature
- ABI/INFORM Collection
Access to thousands of full-text journals, dissertations, working papers, key business and economics periodicals, country-and industry-focused reports, and major news sources. Its international coverage gives researchers a complete picture of companies and business trends around the world.
- Business Source Complete
Regional, national and international business, financial, banking and industry publications.
- FactivaGeneral news and business information sources from international newswires and pictures, TV and radio transcripts,local newspapers, company reports, and media programs. Our subscription to The Wall Street Journal is housed here.
- Nexis Uni
Includes articles from local, regional, national and international newspapers, magazines, online journals, television and radio broadcasts, newswires and blogs, transcripts, and legal research, as well as federal and state cases and statutes, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions since 1790. Also includes access to Nexis Dossier.
- Regional Business NewsProvides comprehensive full text coverage of 75 regional business journals, newspapers and newswires from all metropolitan and rural areas within the United States.Useful for small/local businesses.
SEC Filings (10-K, 10-Q, DEF 14-A): Financial statement or document submitted to the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
- EDGAR (SEC)The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's EDGAR database provides free public access to company filings.
SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats): A standard way to analyze a company.
- MarketLine Advantage
Original industry and company reports based on published research and primary and secondary data sources.
Business Data & Statistics
Company:
Industry/Market:
Financial:
• Bloomberg (two standalone terminals at the Business/SPEA Information Commons)
• Datastream (large datasets; time series; standalone terminal at Business/SPEA Information Commons)
• ThomsonONE
• WRDS (large datasets; time series; standalone terminal at Business/SPEA Information Commons
Consumer:
Economic:
• Datastream (large datasets; time series; standalone terminal at Business/SPEA Information Commons)