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Business Research Guide: Websites & Books

Resources for business research

NAICS & SIC Codes - Websites

NAICS (North American Industry Classification Codes) and SIC (Standard Industry Classification) codes broadly classify companies' areas of operation and help provide statisical information.

Industry Information - Websites

Business Reference Services - Guide to Industry Research
Information from the Library of Congress
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Industries at a Glance
Economic Census
Industry Statistics Bureau
Annual Retail Trade Survey
Annual Survey of Manufacturers
globalEDGE
From International Business Center at Michigan State University. Includes insights by industry.
Vault Industry Overviews
Contains some free content
Common Size Financial Statements
BizStats

Industry Information - Books

Almanac of business and industrial financial ratios by Leo Troy
Call Number: HF5681.R25 A45
ISBN: 0747-9107
Latest editions on Reserve. Ask for them at the Information Services Desk.
S&P Capital IQ industry surveys
Call Number: HC106.6 .S74 Latest 5 editions
Value Line Investment Survey
Call Number: INFO DESK/MAIN LEVEL HG4501 .V26
Value Line Investment Survey. (small and mid-cap ed.)
Call Number: INFO DESK/MAIN LEVEL HG4501 .V262

Country Information

Company Information - Websites

Hoover's
Some free information. Use Nexis Uni for more Hoover's resources
ThomasNet
Directory of U.S.-based suppliers and manufacturers
CrunchBase
Tracks venture capital investment
United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO)
Statista
Some free information
Business Reference Services - Rankings/Lists
Ranking sources from the Library of Congress

Consumer Information - Websites

Kantar Media
Information on Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) Designated Market Areas (DMA)
American Factfinder
American Consumer Satisfaction Index
State & County Quick Facts
Consumer Expediture Survey
American Time Use Survey
National Retail Federation
Trend Watching
Springwise - Discovering Innovation

Business Plan Help

Bplans
A Step-by-Step Guide
from Entrepreneur Magazine
U.S. Small Business Association
Free Business Plan Templates

Company Finances - Websites

EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval System)
Search company filings with this database from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
How to Read an Annual Report
Guide to Financial Statements
Campbell R. Harvey's Hypertextual Finance Glossary
How to Read a 10-K

Statistics - Websites

USA.gov: Data and Statistics
Government Information by Type of Business Need
County Business Patterns
FedStats
Gateway to statistics from over 100 federal agencies.
Statistical Abstracts series
2012 and older editions of Statistical Abstract of the United States.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Business Leader
OECD iLibrary
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) books, journal articles, papers and statistics, and the gateway to OECD's analysis and data.

Statistics - Books

ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States
Call Number: INFO DESK HA202 .P7 Latest ed
Past volumes available on the library's upper level.

Statistics - Ebooks

Business Statistics of the United States by Cornelia J. Strawser (Editor)
ISBN: 9781886222243
Publication Date: 2005-02-17
Using Statistics for Better Business Decisions by Justin Bateh; Bert G. Wachsmuth
ISBN: 9781631572722
Publication Date: 2016-08-01