Research Guides: MBA 6292: Getting Started

Getting Started

Relevant News Resources

Factiva [Selected Articles in Full Text] This link opens in a new window
While Factiva allows keyword searching for thousands of news sources at once, which can be really useful for knowing up-to-the-minute information for what's happening with a technology, or within an industry relevant to your company, what's really special are company profiles pages where you can see all news about your company in one place. (Go to the Companies/Markets tab at the top of the homepage and drop down to Company and then search by company name.)

Columbus Business First
Knowing local business news can enhance your understanding of the context within which one's company is operating. This is one of our best sources for local business news relevant to Columbus (we also have coverage for a large number of other medium to large cities).

Introduction to Company Research for MBA 6292

This guide is just to get you started. I'm highlighting just a few databases, but there are many more. The truth is, every project will require different resources. Please don't hesitate to email me. I'm happy to meet with your group to help you determine which resources are most likely to have the information you need for your specific project.

Company Research

D&B Hoovers This link opens in a new window
This is a database a lot of people like to start with for company research because it has solid company profiles (just search by company name in the search box at the top of the homepage) and those profiles automatically branch out into industry and market research reports relevant to the company in question, and often include relevant news stories (see the 'Triggers' icon in the profile), SWOT analyses and more...
Mergent Online [Selected Articles in Full Text] This link opens in a new window
As well as general company profile information (financials, etc.) this database includes a list of suppliers, more information on executives and ownership than most other databases, and the ability to quickly build company comparison reports to look at your company side-by-side with other companies of your choosing, or with a standard list of competitors the database can generate.
NetAdvantage This link opens in a new window
NetAdvantage is a database geared mainly towards investment research, but it includes the most detailed company financials of any database, links to investment analyst reports that include an interesting section on how to analyze a company in this industry, and often company profiles include a brief company history or detailed business description, potentially including some segmentation information.

Industry and Market Research

IBISWorld Industry Reports This link opens in a new window
This is our best bet database for overview industry reports, which can be invaluable contextual information if you're not familiar with the industry within which your company is operating. Reports will discuss major companies, operating conditions, products and markets and key statistics.
BCC Research This link opens in a new window
This database is focused on global market research reports and is especially useful if your company is working in more of a STEM area (rather than consumer retail).
Passport GMID This link opens in a new window
This database is generally used for market or industry reports focused in a particular country. (Like, shoes in Germany.) Reports are brief but sometimes provide a useful place to start. There are also broader reports on the economic context of particular nations, the labor force, consumers, digital trends, etc.

Consumer Insights

Statista
As the name implies, this database is the go-to resource for statistics on pretty much any and all topics. It also includes consumer and industry reports with focused statistics in these areas.

Mintel Reports [Selected Articles in Full Text] This link opens in a new window
Our coverage is limited mainly to the United States, but this is the only resource we have that goes into some depth regarding consumers. If you find a report on your industry it will likely include information about consumer attitudes and motivations, etc. (We also have access to their Global New Products Database, which covers new product releases.)
eMarketer PRO This link opens in a new window
The insights in here are mainly limited to 'e-marketing', but there are insights into which consumers are on which platforms, trends in marketing in various industries, etc.

Business & Economics Librarian

Ash Faulkner

she/her

Email Me

Contact:

Thompson Library 222C
1858 Neil Avenue Mall
Columbus, OH 43210

614-514-5935

Subjects: Economics