Business Information Sources

Some tools for doing market research

Tutorials

• Annual report tutorial - This site provides instruction on how to read a company annual report.
• How to do Company ResearchThis instructional web site introduces basic company research techniques.
• Researching Companies Online - This business research tutorial provides a step by step process for finding free company and industry on the web.

Company and industry research sites

• Companies Online - Search for companies by name, with search limits by state or industry category.
• Corporate Information - International compnay and industry information
• Global Biz Directory - Contains 10.7 million brief company profiles.
• Hoover's Online - Provides profiles of public and some large private companies, including financial data. The site also has a number of industry profiles.
• Industry Research Desk - Guide to specific companies, researching industries, and manufacturing processes.
• Internet Prospector - Source for finding information on private companies.
• NAICS Association - Provides database searchable by keywords, NAICS or SIC code, or by code description. (See also U.S. Census Site.)
• Securities and Exchange Commission or FreeEdgar - Provides access to public company financials.
• Thomas Register of American Manufacturers - Lists companies and provides links to their web sites if they exist.
• Wall Street Research Network - Company histories and profiles.

Advertising and marketing sources

• Advertising Age - Source of marketing, advertising, and media news, information and analysis.
• Marketing and Research Library -Links to numerous types of marketing related sites: some free, some fee-based.
• Marketing Virtual Library - Resource for marketing basics, market research, Internet marketing, marketing plans, etc.

Statistical information sources

• Bureau of Census - Provides economic, industrial and population data. Includes 1997 Economic Census and the conversion information for the SIC/NAICS systems.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics - Contains data on consumer expenditures, employment, labor force occupational projections, etc.
• Federal Interagency Council on Statistical Policy - Provides easy access to the full range of statistics produced by more than 70 U.S. government agencies.
• National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) - Provides agricultural statisitics.
• National Association of State Information Resource Executives (NASIRE) - Search function that is basically a topical clearinghouse to state government information on the Internet.
• Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
• University of Michigan Statistical Resources - Links to statistical resources for business and industry, foreign trade, demographics, etc.

Some other useful and interesting sites

• Business plans- Free sample business plans for small business.
• Commerce Library -Try "Company information" link and then "One Source"
• Cyberatlas - Internet statistics and market research for web markets.
• Northern Light Search Engine - An Internet search engine with additional Business Search and Investext Search capabilities. Business Search enables specialized searching of industry focused Web pages, market research, economic analyses, and company reports.

Other recommended sources:

• Patent and intellectual property websites: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Searchable Intellectual Property Database Catalog
• Trade journals, newsletters
• Trade associations
• Online magazines, newspapers, and newswires (e.g. Red Herring, Forbes, Fortune, Business Week, WSJ, London Financial Times, etc.)
• Company web sites