Adam Siegel
Research Support Services
Researcher Services Librarian
530-754-6828
Industry research is generally conducted by, for, or on behalf of the following;
Entity: | Search Tools: |
---|---|
Trade Publications | Business Source Complete |
Trade Associations | Advanced Google Search: There is no single standard directory of all trade associations: search strategies center around “(yourindustry)” + “association” + site:org/site:com). |
Industry-Focused Market Research | Advanced Google Search: There is no single standard directory of all market research: search strategies center around “(yourindustry)” + “market research” + “report.”) WARNING: market research reports on the Web are generally prohibitively expensive, for both researchers and research libraries. This strategy is useful for determining which market research firms specialize in your industry. |
Business Intelligence (Databases) | Business Source Complete, Factiva, Nexis Uni (formerly LexisNexis): Business intelligence searches should be mindful of specific keywords and/or proper names. Search strategies should exploit knowledge of trade associations, industry-specific trade publications, industry-specific market research firms, etc. The most powerful search phrase in this context is “according to” (e.g., “according to” “growth” “(yourindustry),” “(marketresearchfirm).” |
Business Intelligence (Web Content) | Advanced Google Search: Business intelligence searches should be mindful of specific keywords and/or proper names. Search strategies should exploit knowledge of trade associations, industry-specific trade publications, industry-specific market research firms, etc. The most powerful search phrase in this context is “according to” (e.g., “according to” “growth” “(yourindustry),” “(marketresearchfirm).” Pay attention to top-level domains (site:org, site:gov, etc.). Federal, state, and local governments also track industry trends (e.g., Bay Area and California in re tech industry; New York City in re finance industry; Central Valley California in re agriculture, etc.). Pay attention to file types, limiting to filetype:pdf, filetype:docx, filetype:ppt, etc. |
NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) | NAICS: A system of unique identification numbers that outline economic sectors broad and narrow. NAICS codes are essential for using both subscription databases and searching industry and government websites. |
Macro-level Industry Research (Databases) | NetAdvantage: For coverage of broad industrial sectors. |
If you have questions about search tools or strategies: