Business: Industries Research Guide

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Note: Off-campus access to some online sources is restricted to current UCF students, faculty, and staff via Pegasus or Proxy servers.

Industry Overviews

Use these sources to find information about a particular industry. Someone contemplating purchase of a fast-food franchise, for example, would need not only information about the financial well-being of the franchisor, but also information about the fast-food and restaurant industry generally. Depth of coverage for the sources below varies, but usually includes a review of the industry's past performance, a description of the current situation, and future projections.

Business and Company Resource Center(1980+)

Brings together company profiles, brand information,rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals.

Encyclopedia of American Industries

Reference HC 102 .E53

Vol. 1: Manufacturing Industries; Volume 2: Non-Manufacturing Industries. Provides an industry overview, relevant trends, and statistical data for over 1,000 industries at the 4-digit SIC code level, representing every 4-digit SIC code for the manufacturing, non-manufacturing, and service industries.

Encyclopedia of Small Business

Reference HD 62.7 .H553

Contains broad overviews of key industries.

Mergent Online

The "Industry Search" capability allows the user to obtains reports on a wide range of industry sectors, such as Automotive, Insurance, and Telecommunications, and also to limit by geographical region.

Plunkett's Industry Almanac series

Each volume covers a specific industry, with competitive intelligence, market research, market and industry analysis, industry statistics, and industry trends. Includes industry terms glossaries, charts, technology overviews, and directories of industry contacts and associations.

• Automobile -- Reference HD 9710 .U6 P58
• Biotech & Genetics -- Reference TP 248.17 .P59
• E-Commerce & Internet Business -- Reference HF 5548.32 .P59
• Energy -- Reference HD 9502 .U52 P62
• Engineering & Research -- Reference TA 160.4.P58
• Entertainment & Media -- Reference P 88.8 .P572
• Financial Services -- Reference HG 65 .P58
• Food -- Reference HD 9003 .P58
• Health Care -- Reference RA 410.53 .P56
• InfoTech -- Reference HD 9696 .C63 U5287
• Retail -- Reference HF 5429.3 .P57

Reuter's Business Insight

Offers hundreds of international market research reports on Consumer Goods, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, Technology, Telecoms, eCommerce, and Human Resources.

Small Business Profiles

Reference HD 62.5 .S6

For many of the small business opportunities covered, provides a data section with helpful industry statistics, as well as a list of trade associations, manuals, and publications.

Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys

Online version

Reference HC 101 .S7

A quarterly review and analysis of over 50 major industry groups, searchable by industry in the online version, indexed by industry and company in the print version.

U.S. Industrial Outlook

Reference HC 106.5 .A17 (1960-95)

U.S. Documents C62.17

Does not cover individual companies, but does analyze over 200 manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries, with a discussion of each industry's size, trade position, and growth history. Continued by U.S. Industry & Trade Outlook (below).

U.S. Industry & Trade Outlook

Reference HC 101 .U54 (1998+)

U.S. Documents C61.48

Continues U.S. Industrial Outlook (above). Analyses of major U.S. industries and sectors in 54 chapters, with industry-specific outlooks for international trade, discussions of domestic and global economic actions, and forecasts. Includes geographical snapshots of industry and trade trends. As of Fall 2001, the Outlook will no longer be available in print, but will be available as a Web document; for further information, see <http://www.outlook.gov/>.

U.S. Industry Profiles

Reference HC 106.82 .U6

Profiles the leading 100 industries, including construction, transportation, and entertainment, with analyses of both current and future industry outlooks.

Value Line Investment Survey

Online version

Reference HG 4501 .V26 (current)

Reference Microfiche HG 4501 .V263 (1969+)

Contains brief, one-page industry analyses, with a discussion of current economic, political, and technological developments that may affect the industry.

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Business Rankings

Use these sources to find rankings of major firms within a particular industry, usually by sales, but also by employee size, geographical location, or market share.

Business and Company Resource Center (1999+)

Brings together company profiles, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals. The "Industry" link allows you to search for information about industries and companies within a particular SIC code.

Business & Industry (1994+)

The TableBase provides tabular information such as market share, market size, capacity, production, and forecasting.

Business Rankings Annual

Reference HG 4061 .B892

A collection of "top ten" lists extracted from newspapers, periodicals, directories, statistical annuals and other publications, arranged alphabetically by subject. Each list describes ranked characteristics and the criteria used.

D & B Business Rankings

Reference HG 4057 .A237

Ranks U.S. businesses (public and private) within state and industry categories by sales and number of employees. Includes separate rankings for public and private companies by sales and number of employees.

Under the "Search by Industry" link, you can search rankings of companies within a particular SIC code or under a specific SIC description.

Manufacturing USA

Reference HD 9271 .M364

Uses data from various sources, including the U.S. Department of Labor, to identify leading companies within SIC codes. Also includes an overview of each industry.

Market Share Reporter

Reference HF 5410 .M35

Compiles market share statistics drawn from periodicals and brokerage reports, arranged by SIC codes. Covers both public and private sectors, national and international.

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Industry Ratios

Ratio analysis relates one item on a balance sheet or income statement with another. Business ratios and norms are used to compare the firm's operating results with those of competitors and to identify strengths and weaknesses of the firm relative to its industry.

Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios (Troy)

Reference HF 5681 .R25 A45

Commonly known as "Troy," after the compiler of the series. Gives comparative figures, percentages, and ratios for such factors as net sales, total receipts, cost of operations, compensation, depreciation, and amortization for specific industries and for corporations of similar size.

Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios (D&B)

Online version (current)

Reference HF 5681 .R25 I53

Compares industry norms for a typical balance sheet or income statement, arranged by SIC code, although the breakdown of SIC codes is in much more specific segments that that found in Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios (above).

Mergent Online

Retrieve a specific company's record or a list of companies within an industry or a customized group of companies, and then create comparison reports including extended report items such as financials and ratios. On the Comparison Reporting Selection Screen, check the box in the lower left corner to include averages in the headings.

101 Business Ratios: A Manager's Handbook of Definitions, Equations, and Computer Algorithms

Reference HF 5681 .R25 G38

Does not contain business ratios, but instead gives a detailed explanation of what ratios are and then describes 101 specific measures and the formulas for their computation (e.g., "average return on marketing," "price to sales," "floor space per employee").

RMA Annual Statement Studies

Reference HF 5681 .B2 R6

Gives current and historical data for 370 industry groups collected from annual financial statements of firms. Data is presented by size of firm in assets and in sales. Lists sources for additional data.

S & P Analysts' Handbook

Reference HG 4519 .S772

Presents industry statistics for those industries represented in the Standard and Poor's 500 Index. Financial data covers 30 years, the selected ratio data covers only six years. Ratios include current ratio, quick ratio, debt to total assets, debt to total capital, debt to total equity, times interest earned, inventory turnover, total assets turnover, profit margin, return on total assets.

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Industry Classifications

The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), developed by the federal government, attempt to classify all businesses by the types of products or services they make available.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html

Reference Desk HF 1042 .N67

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS, pronounced "nakes") is a unique, all-new system for classifying business establishments. Adopted in 1997 to replace the old Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system, it is the industry classification system used by the statistical agencies of the United States.

Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC)

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

Reference Desk HF 1042 U5

Developed for use in classifying business establishments by type of activity in which they are engaged, primarily for purposes of facilitating the collection, presentation, and analysis of data. Titles, numeric codes, and industry descriptions are presented in 11 main divisions and numerous subsections. Replaced in 1997 by the North American Industry Classification System.

Hoover's Online

Use the "Industry Browser" to find specific industry codes.

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Statistics

Use the following sources to find statistical information about various industries.

Business Statistics of the United States

Reference HC 101 .B875 (1995+)

Tables give monthly and quarterly data for over 2,500 statistical series as reported in the Survey of Current Business (below), as well as data for the preceding 20 years. Also provides summary data for individual industries, offering information on production, inventories, imports, and exports.

County Business Patterns

http://www.census.gov/epcd/cbp/view/cbpview.html

U.S. Documents C 18.270

An excellent source of industry data at the local level, published as 52 reports, with one for each state, the District of Columbia, and a national summary. Includes total number of business establishments, number of establishments by employment size category, number of employees, and total industry payroll. Data not reported for establishments with less than 50 employees.

Dr. Ed Yardeni's Economics Network

http://www.cm1.prusec.com/yardweb.nsf/Yardeni?readform

Yardeni is the Chief Investment Strategist and a Managing Director of the Prudential Equity Group, Inc. working out of New York City. His "Investment Strategy Weekly" and other timely reports explore issues and trends in the economy and financial markets vital to a broad spectrum of decision-makers.

Economic Census

http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/econ97.html

Produced every five years (in years ending in "2" and "7," although there is several years' lag time for actual publication) as seven separate titles according to business type. Each title consists of three subseries: geographic data for each state, detailed industry data by SIC code, and a subject series for special topics. The seven segments, with their shelf locations for printed versions, are:

• Census of Construction Industries -- U.S. Documents C 3.245
• Census of Manufactures -- U.S. Documents C 3.24
• Census of Mineral Industries -- U.S. Documents C 3.216
• Census of Retail Trade -- U.S. Documents C 3.255
• Census of Service Industries -- U.S. Documents C 3.257
• Census of Transportation -- U.S. Documents C 3.233
• Census of Wholesale Trade -- U.S. Documents C 3.256

Economic Statistics Briefing Room

http://www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/esbr.html

Provides easy access to current federal economic indicators, with links to information produced by a number of federal agencies. All of the information included in the Economic Statistics Briefing Room is maintained and updated by the statistical units of those agencies. All the estimates for the indicators presented are the most currently available values.

Economic Indicators (1998+)

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/indicators/browse.html (1998+)

Online version (1996+)

U.S. Documents Y 4.Ec 7:Ec 7/ (1960+)

Presents basic statistical series on total output, income, and spending; employment, unemployment, and wages; production and business activity; prices, currency, credit and security markets; and federal finance.

Standard & Poor's Statistical Service

Reference HG 4921 .S752

Contains a monthly report on "Current Statistics," and a set of pamphlets called "Basic Statistics," which provide historical information. A thorough compendium of general economic indicators, with fairly detailed data on hourly earnings and production figures for major industry groups.

STAT-USA

The "State of the Nation" segment of this subscription database contains current industry reports, as well as statistics on manufacturing, inventories, sales, and industrial production and capacity.

Statistical Portrait of the United States: Social Conditions and Trends

Reference HA 214 .S73 2002

Illustrates demographic, social, and economic trends in U.S. society using interpretive text, charts, and tables. Chapters cover population, immigration, labor force, income, education, crime, voting patterns, recreation and leisure, social trends, and trends in government taxing and spending.

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Periodical Articles

Use the following electronic and print indexes to find articles about specific industries. Once you have found the articles you want, in some instances you will need to check the UCF Library Catalog to determine if we own the periodicals you need.

ABI/INFORM

(1971+)

Articles on advertising, marketing, economics, human resources, finance, taxation, computers, and over 60,000 companies. Includes business conditions, trends, corporate strategies and tactics, management techniques, competitive and product information, company histories and new product development.

Business and Company Resource Center(1980+)

Company profiles, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals articles covering company and industry news. Reports and forecasts prepared by top Wall Street and international brokerage firms. More than 11,000 U.S. and international companies and 53 industries are covered.

Business & Industry(1994+)

A multi-industry, international database that provides access to company, industry, market, and product information. Covers over 600 leading trade and business sources. Full-text articles are available online for more than half of those sources.

Business Periodicals Index

Index HF 5001 .B86 (1958+)

Indexes by subject, selected author, and corporate name about 350 journals in all fields of business. Useful for locating historical information about an industry or company. Continued by Wilson Business Abstracts Full Text (below).

Business Source Premier(1990+)

Provides indexing to sources in business, management, economics, finance, banking, investment, and much more. Full text included for nearly 260 journals.

F&S United States Annual

Index HG 4961 .F8 (1979+)

Supplies current information, taken from trade magazines, newspapers, and other financial publications, on companies, products, and industries. The product section is arranged by SIC code; the company section is arranged alphabetically. The online version of this index is Mergent Online (below).

General Business File ASAP(1980+)

Indexes over 800 journal titles including business, management, and trade journals; some 80 regional and local journals and newspapers. Provides access to full text of some articles. Updated daily.

Mergent Online

Financial and background information, income statements, balance sheets, cash flow, long term debt and Edgar (SEC) documents, on over 10,000 U.S. public corporations. Covers current 5 years for most data.

Wall Street Journal

Online version (1985+)

Newspaper Microfilm (1958+)

The financial newspaper of record offering in-depth coverage of national and international finance as well as first rate coverage of hard news.

Wall Street Journal Index

Index HG 1 .W26 (1958+)

Issued in two parts: corporate news and general news. The annual cumulation of the general news section also includes lists of the daily Dow Jones averages for the year.

Wilson Business Abstracts Full Text (1986+)

A database to 345 English-language business magazines. Topics include accounting, personnel, and small business. Continues Business Periodicals Index (above).

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Key Periodicals

The following selected periodicals are devoted exclusively to business. Please note, however, that many other periodicals not listed here will contain articles about some aspect of theatre studies; thus, the need to consult a periodical database or index. Current print issues of periodicals to which the Libraries subscribe are arranged by title on the third floor; print back issues are shelved in the general collection by call number, while microform back issues are arranged by call number on the third floor.

Business Week

Online version (1996+)

Microfilm HF 5001 .B89 (1929-54; 1979+)

General Collection HF 5001 .B89 (1955-78)

Articles track political and legal issues and analyze the impact of new technologies as they affect business, and also profiles companies, industries, and individuals.

Forbes

Online version (1990+)

Microfilm HF 5001 .F6 (1918-87)

Microfiche HF 5001 .F6 (1988+)

The focus is on news and analysis of interest to executives, managers, and investors in U.S. corporations. For the annual Forbes 500, see See <http://www.forbes.com>.

Fortune

Online version (1992+)

General Collection HF 5001 .F7 (1930-70)
Microfilm HF 5001 .F7 (1971-87)
Microfiche HF 5001 .F7 (1988+)

While the emphasis is on investing and personal finance, there are articles on smaller companies and many market segments. For the annual Fortune 500, published each April, see <http://www.fortune.com>.

Industry Week

Online version (1993+)
General Collection TS 300 .I745 (1970+)

Carries articles profiling individuals and companies in every industry, along with reports on new technologies, politics and legislation, and international competition.

Survey of Current Business

Online version (1996+)
Online version (1994+)
Microfilm HF 5001 .S975 (1921-61; 1983-96)
General Collection HF 5001 .S975 (1962+)

Each month's issue provides trends in industry, business, and the general economy, including current and historical data.

Wall Street Journal

Online version (1985+)
Newspaper Microfilm (1925+)

The financial newspaper of record offering in-depth coverage of national and international finance as well as first rate coverage of hard news.

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Additional Industry Sources

Use the following sources -- primarily directories and bibliographies -- to identify other sources of information about industries.

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Ask a Librarian

If you have questions or need additional assistance, Ask a Librarian, call the Reference Department at (407) 823-2562, or e-mail the Department at askalibrarian@mail.ucf.edu. The library liaisons for Business are Ven Basco, Associate Librarian, bbasco@mail.ucf.edu, and Ying Zhang, Associate Librarian, yzhang@mail.ucf.edu.

Last Updated: June 03, 2009