Research Guides: BUAD110 The Basic of Business: The Industry and Company Overview

Industry and Company Research

Sources for Industry Classification:

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): A 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. NAICS codes play an important role in industry research and it is very important in conducting good Industry research and Analysis.

Examples: 722511 (Restaurants); 423450 (Medical Equipment & Devices) ;541921 (Photography Studios) and 812113 (Nail Salons )

The IBISWorld Industry Report database has specialized industry report codes. These codes cover special industries and provides analysis for new industries or specialized products not captured by NAICS. Example: OD4260 - Candle Manufacturing.

These databases can be used to identify NAICS: Search for company by name and the company record will show assigned codes.

Business Source Premier
Full-text for thousands of journals, covering all disciplines of business. (Coverage: Varies according to journal, some back to 1922.)
Gale Business Insights: Global
Full-text company and industry intelligence on global corporations.
Searches can be done on company name or ticker symbol, industry code/description (SIC or NAICS), subjects in article, geographic search, or personal name. Searches can be limited by journal name, date range, or content area.

Industry And Company Analysis

A review of the industry and company issues that can impact the industry and business operations such economics, political, business cycles, government regulations, revenue size, risks, employment, etc. (See also section on RISK Analysis)

Recommended Databases:

IBISWorld Industry Reports
U.S. industry market research and industry risk ratings. Contains trends, statistics and analysis on market size, market share of competitors, and industry growth rates. Includes emerging industry trends as well as recent production performance.
All reports in this collection are updated between 1 and 4 times a year.
Statista
Data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest and markets.
Gale Business Insights: Global
Full-text company and industry intelligence on global corporations.
Searches can be done on company name or ticker symbol, industry code/description (SIC or NAICS), subjects in article, geographic search, or personal name. Searches can be limited by journal name, date range, or content area.
Mergent Intellect
Provides access to private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, facts and figures, executive contact information, and industry profiles.
Residential Search: Find address and other contact information on individuals.
Demographics Search: Demographic reports on a geographic area of your choice. Data includes statistics on the area's population, including age, race, gender, income and more.
Passport
You must be a current UD student, faculty, or staff member to use this database. A valid UDNetID and password are required.
A global market research database providing statistics, analysis, reports, surveys and breaking news on industries, countries and consumers.

Business Source Premier
Full-text for thousands of journals, covering all disciplines of business. (Coverage: Varies according to journal, some back to 1922.)
Marketscope Advisor
Extensive market commentary, independent investment analysis, real-time news and extensive data about a broad range of asset classes and sectors.
Mergent Online
Ceases June 30, 2025. See Market Atlas as an alternative.
Suite of information resources for in-depth business and financial research. Contains corporate information covering thousands of U.S. and foreign public companies. Includes access to Investext, which provides reports written by analysts at investment banks, brokerage houses, and consulting firms.