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Management 441: Research Steps

This guide will provide links and search strategies to key resources that will help in locating Company and Industry information.

To Start Your Search

Research takes Time!

General: Rules of thumb

Rule 1: If at all possible, select a company or industry that interests you
Rule 2: Get Help (in-person, chat, or email) early if you hit a road block in your research project.
Rule 3: Read the news and search online to get background information.  For example: Strategic management Insight .  Take a look at company insight data, i.e., BMW
Rule 4: Search our databases, journals, research guides, and collections to find more information

After you have done this:

First, start with:the database, Business Source Elite (located on the website (Databases A-Z) to get your initial overview of the industry and a SWOT analysis..

Next, take a look at IBISWorld on the website (Databases A-Z)  s link opens in a new windowto understand the comparative landscape of the company that interests you, specifically the company's market share and market shares of its competitors.

Next, take a look at:specifically the industry survey, for complete industry information.

Then, use the same database to view company stock reports for the company's current status, as well as 3-5 year predictions.

Specific Research Steps

Here are some steps to help with research.

1.  Start by checking the company’s website

  • Pay particular attention to the investor relations portion of the website
  • Check for webinars, presentations and conference calls
  • Review the Annual Report for corporate governance, strategy, sales targets, and upcoming opportunities, obligations or obstacles
  • TIP: The company's website should have a separate section on governance. It is one of the few places you can find this information. This is worth reviewing quickly with an eye towards understanding the company's internal controls, ethical focus and governing structures.
  • TIP: See the last tab for direct links to investor relations for the companies.
  • TIP: The Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (MDA) from the most recent 10Q (Section 2A) and or 10K (Section 7A) is the Most Valuable Thing you can Read! Find this at the company's website under SEC filings (direct links are under last tab of the guide for each company).
  • TIP: If there are any recent 8K's filed, Review These! An 8K is filed when something materially affects the value of the equity/business. These can provide information about expansion plans, sales targets, risk factors and more.

2. Get a company profile and a global industry report along with cutting edge news and analysts trend reports from MarketLine Company Profile.  NOTE:  The link gets you to only the first page of the profiles. 

Select MarketLine from the Library's Catalog

  • Type company's name or line of business (more specific)
  • Click  COMPANY for a company reports, INDUSTRY for industry analysis
  • Useful sections:
    • Company Report: Company History, SWOT Analysis, Management Statement
    • Industry Survey: Porter's 5 Forces, Revenue, Economic Indicators

3. Retrieve complete standardized financials from the database,  Mergent Online :

  • Click Mergent Online
  • Start typing your company's name
  • Click on their ticker/name as it appear
  • Click on Company Financials
  • Choose balance sheet, income statement, cash flows from the pull downs
  • Choose prelims, as reported, standardized (recommended!)
  • TIP: You can also get Ratios and Analysis (3 or 5 year CAGR for items from income statement, balance sheet and ratios) 
  • TIP: You can also get common sized (percentage of a whole not actual dollars) income statement and balance sheet for comparison to industry averages using BizMiner
  • TIP: With the report builder you can create an excel spreadsheet that has everything in one place! Easy to use; just select report builder and make selections.

4. Retrieve industry ratios with highs and lows for companies in an industry from Mergent Key Business Ratios by Dun & Bradstreet.

  • Select Mergent Key Business Ratios
  • Select your company's SIC code (go to the last tab for your company's SIC code) from the drop down menu.

5.  Use the database, ProQuest One Business to get company and industry profiles (including SWOT analyses, news, research reports, and more.

Google Alerts

Use Good Alerts to receive updates on the company. This is a way to ensure you will not miss anything important when you complete your project.

  1. Select Google Alerts
  2. Enter the company name as your search
  3. Select NEWS for results type
  4. Select how often you want to receive updates (daily, weekly)
  5. Enter your email address