Billington Library offers many electronic content databases, including some focused to a diversity of business topics and current developments. Herein listed are some suggested, specific business resources identified for their coverage of industry data, articles, reports and profile overviews. Culled from many, individual content providers, much of the information will be broad in nature and cover larger industries; likewise, information and data can be found for small or specialized industries and markets. Coverage in depth for global industries may be selective and dependent upon the resource tool.
Most resources allow searching both by keyword and for industries, in particular, using a NAICS six-digit class code number.
Keep in mind, while industry profiles tend to reflect details and challenges for large, major companies or manufacturers, there is and will be a 'trickle down" effects in varying degrees influencing smaller or regional business or "niche" entities operating within the context of a broader industry defined category or somewhat near the fringe.
Smaller business units should pay heed and be aware to what's happening on a grander scale and that might be affecting their operations, performance, and competitive edge. The same issues or concerns regarding labor demand, supply chain obstacles, regulatory requirements or changing consumer/consumption behaviors affecting the Caribous Coffee's outlets nationally will, in many ways, impact the success or failure of the local mom & pop's java joint. Know your environment and be creative and adaptive to survive in your local market for the long-haul.
Research covering all business & management topics, including detailed company & industry profiles including SWOT reports, market share reports & profiles, and financial data. Under the Industries tab & drop down, you may search all industries via NAICS for a specific topic and details. This resource also allows creating Comparison Charts for either grouping specific Companies or creating charts for Industry comparison.
Example: Report for "Aircraft Manufacturing" profiles: number of companies & names, employees, annual revenues, associations, specific articles & news, rankings, and market share reports. Industry profile essays address: organization & structure; background & development; current industry conditions; and industry leaders.
The sub-tab, Market Share Reports, offers full-text reports showing various company rankings within their industry and market share. Example title: "Top Aircraft Engine Makers Worldwide, 2013." (tabular ranking data).
Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage offers menu packaging of their many business research products including: Industry Surveys, Stock Reports, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Corporation Records, and The Outlook, investment newsletter. For Industry Surveys, S&P analysts monitor trends & threats within 57 major industry groups, issuing reports with text and data averaging 40+ pages and twice yearly updates. An Industry Profile details: Current Operating Environment; Industry Trends; and Key Ratios & Statistics. Accompanying report data sets address: revenues, net income, profit ratios, balance sheet ratios, equity ratios, and Per-Share Data. A number of sub-industries (e.g., Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods) are also reviewed and with less text narrative detailed data. Good resource for major industry coverage in depth.
Value Line (VL), the venerable, independent investment advisory company, provides current (but brief) information abut the status of 101 industries in review essays which precede articles evaluating financials of individual companies for investment growth, risk or safety. Each weekly issue analyzes 4-10 industries/company groupings. Industry "snapshots" are brief in narration, usually 1 to 2 pages.
Finding Industry Profiles within Value Line. Their site page offers lots of investment "bells & whistles". From their Dashboard, click Find Ideas. Choose Model Portfolios, on left side double-click, Survey Issues to see the current weekly report or select, Lookup Industry, to view an industry's a current status profile.
Comprehensive collection of Industry Market Research and Industry Risk Ratings reports covering over 700 large and small, specialized services or industries, as for example: "Parachute Manufacturing." Each report addresses: Industry Overview, Supply chair, Industry Performance, Industry Outlook, Products & Markets, Competitive Landscape, Major Companies, Operating Conditions, and Key Statistics. Searching is by keyword company name, or code (NAICS). [author comment: Excellent resource!]