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Locating Industry Information

There are a number of databases that are available to you through the SHSU Library. Some of them require that you know the industry's SIC or NAICS code. The SIC stands for Standard Industrial Classification Code. A newer system, NAICS, is the North American Industry Classification System. Both are systems for organizing industries so that companies providing like services or manufacturing like products can be examined together. It allows you to compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. There are a couple of databases that you should look at first because they provide you with the SIC and NAICS. It is easiest to find the the codes by looking at the record of one of the major players in the industry. For example, if you are researching the computer hardware industry you could search for Dell, Gateway, or others. If you can't find an SIC or NAICS code, it may be that the industry is a subset of a larger industry. In that case you may have to go to the broader industry go find some of the information you need. For example, if your project is a store that retails pre-owned clothing for women and children, you will likely have to use the code for women's, children's, and infant's clothing and accessories.

The databases that are most useful for finding an industry's SIC are: Academic Universe , Business and Company Resource Center, or Standard and Poor's NetAdvantage.

Among the most helpful for finding information about an industry are:

LexisNexis Academic - Provides access to full-text articles from hundreds of newspapers, journals and magazines, and financial information for companies, including: SEC reports, Standard and Poor's Corporate Descriptions, Disclosure Reports, NAARS - Annual Reports 84-95, legal information including case law and statutes, and more.

Business and Company Resource Center - Offers accurate, and up-to-date company and industry intelligence on thousands of global companies. Included in the database are: periodical articles, company information, investment reports, product information, industry and company rankings, financial overviews, industry overviews, and HR law case digests.

Mergent Online - database of statistical information about companies. It includes a Country Profiles section.

Regional Business News - Regional Business News is a collection of full text newswires which incorporate news information from all over the world. Included in this database are A&G Information, Africa News Service, Inter Press Service, Resource News International, South American Business, M2 Communications, etc. Information provided by these sources covers business, political, economic, and other diverse, international news events. In order to maintain the most current collection of news, this database contains the most recent 30 days of information from each of the wire sources. Several hundred articles are added to this database each day.

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage - This searchable database is a comprehensive source of business and investment information, offering on-line access to popular Standard & Poor's research products such as Industry Surveys, Stock Reports, Corporation Records, The Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives, The Outlook, Mutual Fund Reports among others. It includes export tools so that data can be downloaded into spreadsheet programs for further analysis.

IBISWorld - Provides instant access to over 700 United States industries – everything from Shoes Stores to Gold Ore Mining and all industries in between. IBIS also offers many other reports such as the “Global” Industry Reports covering world industry analysis.

ABI/INFORM - U.S. and international articles on business and management. Provides abstracts of articles from international professional publications, academic journals, and trade magazines. Offers the full text of some articles.

Annual Statement Studies. Philadelphia: Robert Morris Associates. Located in Ready Reference (behind the Reference Desk), the call number is HF5681 .B3R6. Organized by SIC, this resource provides industry level ratios.

Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios. New York: Dun and Bradstreet Credit Services. Located in Ready Reference, the call number is HF5681 .R25I53. This resource also provides industry level ratios.

Standard Industrial Classification Manual. 1987. Washington D.C.: Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget; Springfield, VA: For sale by National Technical Information Service. Located in Ready Reference, the call number is HF1042 .U5 1987. This resources lists each SIC that is unique to a particular industry. Information can be located by either SIC or by description via an alphabetical index.

North American Industry Classification System, United States. 2007. Washington, D.C. : Executive Office of the President : Office of Management and Budget. Located in Ready Reference, the call number is HF1042 .N6. This resource provides a classification number unique to each industry.

http://www.firstgov.gov/
The official U.S. gateway to all government information. It includes links to all departments and agencies with the government as well as the three branches. Depending on your industry, you might want to look at trade, energy, etc., or any entity that regulates your industry.

If you need information about an industry that is small or very specialized you may have to search association websites. You can do that by searching the Associations Unlimited database, the Internet for specific associations if you know the names, by typing in the industry name or names and Association. For instance, you might search for dry cleaning associations or laundry associations.

For example, if you are gathering information about the Christian book industry, you could search for christian book and association (often the "and" is automatic and you don't have to type it in). That search would lead you to a number of sites and among them would be the Christian Book Association which can provide you with information about that niche within the retail book industry.

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