Business / Economics: Companies, Industries, and Entrepreneurs
Use these resources:
This page contains:
- Company Information
- Industry Information
- Biographical Resources for Famous Entrepreneurs
- General Business Resources
Finding Company Information:
When looking for company information consider both information from the company (the company website, press releases, annual reports, etc.) and information about the company that is written by others (newspaper articles, analyst reports, scholarly articles).
Finding information about a company can include:
- Finding out if the company is public or private. It can be easier to find information on Public Companies vs. Private Companies because they are required to file documents with the SEC and provide annual reports to their shareholders.
- Going to the company's website and review the resources and information that they provide about themselves there.
- Searching for news articles, magazines, or other information about the company. (This may be one of the better ways to find information on a private company).
- Searching for analyst reports on the company. This can include things like SWOT analysis.
- Identifying competitors
Finding Industry Information:
Finding industry information can help you better understand the company you are researching and contextualize that information in the correct culture and location.
Company Information
- PRARS (Public Register's Annual Report Service)Access annual reports of public companies trading on the NYSE.
- SEC EDGARAccess company reports and filings.
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)Employers can be identified by an EIN, an Employer Identification Number issued by the Internal Revenue Service for tax purposes. EIN Finder offers a free lookup but registration is required.
- SWIFT Business Entity IdentifierAnother identifier is the alphanumeric BIC or Business Identifier Code (sometimes referred to as the Business Entity Identifier or BEI). A lookup tool is provided by SWIFT, an international cooperative organization that facilitates financial transactions, particularly between financial institutions.
- MarketLine Company Profiles This link opens in a new window
Comprises thousands of company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry profiles, and 110+ country profiles. Also includes Databooks: Company Financial & Top Ten Industry Players Guide, Financial deals, news and opinions, Market Data Analytics.
- Statista This link opens in a new window
An online statistics portal that provides access to data from market and opinion research institutions, as well as from business organizations and government institutions.
Industry Information
- BizstatsProvides accurate business statistics.
- Economic Indicators from the U.S. Census BureauMonthly economic indicators that track the economy
- Moody's Dismal ScientistAnalysis and indicators for industries and national economies.
- North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)Information concerning NAICS - the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.
- U.S. Census - Business & IndustryThe U.S. Economic Census is a superb primary source when researching industry and trade.
- AtoZ International Business This link opens in a new window
Contains 100 comprehensive country business guides covering more than 120 content modules each. Topics include business culture, business formation, investment climate, import process, export process, media outlets, advertising and marketing, seaports, taxation, security, etc.
Biographical Research
- Biography: Gale in Context This link opens in a new window
Includes authoritative reference information alongside magazine and journal articles, primary sources, videos, audio podcasts, and images. Covering a vast array of people from historically significant figures to present-day news-makers. Search or browse to find people based on occupation, role, or historical period, or search based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates and places, or gender.
- Biography Reference Bank This link opens in a new window
Search for individuals based on any combination of occupation, activity, gender, place of origin, birthday and lifespan. Limit by source type, and searchable indexes can be used to browse by biography name, document type, geographic terms and more. Original content supplemented with new biographies and updated versions of preexisting articles.
- Current Biography Illustrated This link opens in a new window
Contains biographical profiles on celebrities, politicians, business people, writers, actors, sports figures, artists, scientists, and others. Search by occupation, activity, gender, place of origin, birthday etc.
Contemporary Biographies in Business by ISBN: 9781619255418Publication Date: 2014-12-30A supplement to Salem Press's Careers In series, a career-focused series collection of biographies of notable figures in business, this resource provides insight into the career paths and impact of these important figures.
Business 101 - Influential Leaders to Know by ISBN: 9781423236429Publication Date: 2017-11-01Every successful business leader, knowledgeable professional, and student knows something about the most influential leaders in business through history and today. Quick access to these leaders and their impact on the business world, leadership strategies, and business trajectories gives you the power of that knowledge in your hand for at a glance reference. Use a leader's background to open a discussion or kick off a meeting, to inspire colleagues, or use the guide to inspire yourself to tackle a day, a week or a tough project. Many of the biggest business leaders struggled, persevered, and inspired many around them to do the same. Have this handy guide ready to do the same for you. 6-page laminated guide includes: - What Makes a Business Leader Influential - Early Influencers (late-19th to early-20th Century) Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) Aaron Montgomery Ward (1844-1913) Anna Bissell (1846-1934) Henry Ford (1863-1947) Gerard Swope (1872-1957) - Big Business Builders (Mid-20th Century) Thomas Watson Sr. (1874-1956) Walt Disney (1901-1966) Ray Kroc (1902-1984) Sam Walton (1918-1992) Mary Kay Ash (1918-2001) - Technology, Brand & Media Giants (Late-20th Century) Herb Kelleher (1931-) Phil Knight (1938-) Steve Jobs (1955-2011) Bill Gates (1955-) Robert L. Johnson (1946-) Arthur Blank (1942-) Bernie Marcus (1930-) Oprah Winfrey (1954-) Howard Schultz (1953-) - Digital Disruptors (21st Century) Jeff Bezos (1964-) Sergey Brin (1973-) Larry Page (1973-) Elon Musk (1971-) Mark Zuckerberg (1984-) - A Look to the Future - Trends in Leadership
General Resources
- Business Insights: Global This link opens in a new window
Delivers comprehensive international business intelligence compiled into a logical, user-friendly context. Contains business intelligence enhanced by statistical data.
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
Contains full-text content and peer-reviewed business journals. It covers all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, accounting, banking, finance and more.
- Entrepreneurial Studies Source This link opens in a new window
Provides insight into topics relevant to entrepreneurship and small business ownership. Includes hundreds of full-text magazines, journals and books, plus thousands of company profiles and hundreds of videos.
- Entrepreneurship: Gale Business This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive database that covers all aspects of starting and operating a business, including accounting, finance, human resources, management, marketing, tax, etc. This database combines authoritative periodical and reference content to support prospective and current entrepreneurs as well as business students. Mapped to four key stages—plan, fund, start, and manage.
- Global Issues: Gale in Context This link opens in a new window
Offers international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics, and current events. Explore issues within government, law, health, science and technology, society and culture, etc. This database integrates news, global viewpoints, reference materials, country information, primary source documents, videos, statistics, etc, Offers over 250 country pages and more than 400 issue pages. Commentaries provide background and guidance on significant topics like Food Security, Genocide, Human Rights, Extreme Weather, etc.