Principles of Marketing: Industry Research

Marketing subject page: Library home page -> Research -> Subject Pages -> Marketing

Your class has been assigned to develop a new product within a specific industry. Whether it’s a new chocolate bar, an aromatherapy soap, or a cat toy, you’ll need to research the industry that produces your product.

Where to Start

Use the databases on the library’s marketing webpage to find company and industry profiles, as well as news about industries, companies, and products.

Databases

Business and Company Resource Center: Search for your product as an “Industry Description Search”. This will give you a general overview of the industry which your product is part of. Make note of the SIC and NAICS codes that are referenced for your industry; you can use them to search for that industry in other business databases.

Business Source Complete: Contains in-depth profiles of companies and industries, plus market research reports, trade publications, and product reviews. Especially helpful for SWOT analyses of companies.

ABI/INFORM: Focuses on magazines and trade publications. Also includes full-text articles from the Wall Street Journal.

Industry and Consumer Statistics

American FactFinder (http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html)
This site, part of the U.S. Census Bureau, contains statistical overviews of specific U.S. industries. Click “Business and Government” in the left-hand sidebar, then select “Economic Fact Sheet for an Industry.” You can get more detailed statistics by clicking on “Search” in the toolbar at the top of the home page, then entering keywords into the search box and visiting the pages in the result list.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
The Statistical Abstract contains information on industries, personal expenditures, and much more. The current year’s edition is available in print (REF HA 202 .A2) and online (via the Marketing subject page or at http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/); older print editions are also available in the Government Documents section (C 3.134: )

New York QuickLinks (http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36000lk.html)
From the U.S. Census Bureau.

Trade & Industry Associations

These associations support industries and trade practices in several ways. They lobby the government to influence industry-related legislation, communicate industry positions to the media and the public, and gather and disseminate statistics about the industry. Some examples of these associations:

Grocery Manufacturers Association: The Association of Food, Beverage, and Consumer Products Companies (http://www.gmabrands.com/)
The Soap and Detergent Association (http://www.sdahq.org/)

National Sporting Goods Association (http://www.nsga.org/)

Cotton Incorporated (http://www.cottoninc.com/)

You can visit these and other associations’ websites to learn more about a specific industry from the industry’s point of view and to get statistics on how much the industry produces and who uses its products.

SIC and NAICS Codes

The SIC and NAICS codes were created by the U. S. government to provide precise identification of what a company produces. Each company is assigned one or more of these codes. Once you know the code for the industry you’re researching, you can use it in database searches to find information about that industry.

SIC: http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/sicser.html

NAICS: http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics

Concordances between SIC and NAICS: www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/concordances/concordances.html

Additional Information

Gannett-Tripp Library home page: http://www.elmira.edu/academics/library
The Library staff is here to help YOU – just ask!
– For help with research and off-campus access: Research Help Desk – x1864 or 735-1864; resdesk@elmira.edu
– For help with reserves, overdues, and fines: Circulation Desk – x1862 or 735-1862

[MCS – rev. 10-09]