Research Guides: Entrepreneurship/Small Business: Find Industry Information

Analyses

First Research Industry Profiles
These can be accessed via the database ABI Inform (advanced search) by typing "first research industry profiles" (Including the quotation marks) in the top box and changing the box to the right to publication title and typing the industry name in the second box and changing the box to its right to subject. These reports cover the United States.
Fitch Solutions (formerly, until 2018, BMI Country Industry Reports)
Formerly, until 2018, BMI Country Industry Reports, These can be accessed via the database ABI Inform (advanced search) by typing in the top box "Fitch solutions" and changing the box to the right to publication title. In the box below one can type the country and change the box to its right to location and add a third box and type in it an industry, product, or service and change the box to its right to subject. or anywhere except full text. Many of the reports include a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis.
CFRA Industry Surveys
This is the successor to Standard and Poor's Industry Surveys. The link takes you to Business Source Ultimate which includes the surveys. Type "industry survey*" in the top box and change the box to the right to publication name. In the box below, type the industry, product, or service and change the box to the right to subject. To try to get more results, change the box to the right from subject to all text. Many of the surveys use Porter's five forces analysis framework. Many of the surveys have a chapter on how to analyze or value a company within the industry surveyed.

IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
In-depth industry and market research. Many of the reports have a chapter, "Competitive Forces.", that can be particularly useful.
Investext (Mergent Online) This link opens in a new window
Investext, now available through Mergent Online, provides the full text of stock brokerage reports on individual companies and on industries. A short video that explains how to find company and industry research reports on Investext can be found here.

Marketline Reports
These can be accessed via the database Business Source Ultimate by typing "industry profile" (including the quotation marks) in the top box and changing the box to the right to publication name and typing the industry name in the second box and changing the box to its right to subject. One may also limit by geographic term. Many of the surveys use Porter's five forces analysis framework.

Passport This link opens in a new window
Passport (formerly called Global Market Information Database) provides international market intelligence for countries, consumers and industries.: statistics and analysis. Please note: All access to this database is restricted to GW students, faculty and staff who will have to login - even on campus. Walk-in use by others is not permitted.

Plunkett Analytics Reports
These can be accessed via the ABI Inform database (advanced search).. They cover 431 U.S. industries.. Type Plunkettt in the top box and change the box to its right to publication title. Type in the box below the products and services about which you are seeking information separated by the word or and change the box to its right to anywhere except full text. You may change it back to anywhere if you want to search more broadly..
Standard and Poor's Industry Surveys Quarterly,
Location: REF HC 106.6 .S74 (Earlier editions in stacks). July, 1977-October, 2016 (paper).
This is a good source to use in order to gain a view of the nature, trends, outlook, and major companies of an industry. The new title is CFRA Industry Surveys (see above).