Industry Information Research Guide
Further information about industry research can be found on our Industry Information Research Guide.
Video Demonstration
This 5-minute video demonstrates how to search for Babson alumni within a particular industry using Capital IQ and the Babson Alumni Directory.
Industry Research
Find industry reports, key industry players, and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes in the following resources. Collect the following pieces of information to start developing a portfolio of research about your chosen industry.
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IBISWorld This link opens in a new windowSearch by NAICS code or keyword to find thousands of U.S. industry research reports, includes Global Industry reports with some China coverage.
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First Research - ProQuest
Look for the name of your industry or profession. These industry profiles include Call Prep Questions and Answers that give a broad overview of an industry.
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Capital IQ This link opens in a new windowCapital IQ accounts are set up at the start of each semester for all students enrolled in at least one course. Once your account is set up, only your Babson login is required for access.
Use this for complex financial statement and comparables analysis, financial modeling, sector analysis and charting for companies worldwide. -
Plunkett Research Online This link opens in a new windowFind analysis, research, statistics and trade associations for major industries including top companies.
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Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new windowEasily find information on companies, industries and more in the context of timely news, statistical data, and in-depth reports.
NAICS Codes
Industries are classified according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). A NAICS code is a number, usually 6 digits, assigned to your industry that differentiates it from all other industries. This number can be used as a search term when collecting industry research.
You can find the NAICS code for your industry several different ways:
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IBISWorld This link opens in a new windowSearch by NAICS code or keyword to find thousands of U.S. industry research reports, includes Global Industry reports with some China coverage.
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Industry Information Research GuideLook at the "SIC & NAICS" tab of this guide
Company Lists
Use Company Dossier or AtoZ Databases to create downloadable lists of companies in your industry. These lists can be sorted by geographical area, number of employees, revenue, and more. Export the list into Microsoft Excel and take it with you as a starting point for finding companies to research.
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Company Dossier This link opens in a new windowFind brief information on thousands of U.S. and international companies.
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AtoZdatabases This link opens in a new windowUse this directory to search for U.S. companies and healthcare professionals to compile targeted lists for job searches or course assignments.
Articles
Search for articles about your industry from newspapers, magazines, journals, and trade publications. Search these databases with your industry name or NAICS code and additional keywords such as:
- growth
- SWOT
- challenges
- opportunities
- news
- etc.
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Business Source Premier - EBSCOhost This link opens in a new windowScholarly business journals in all business disciplines; plus company, industry, market research, and country reports and analyses. Includes Harvard Business Review.
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ProQuest One Academic This link opens in a new windowGreat source for articles & reports covering all business-related topics as well as social sciences. Includes Hoover's Profiles, WSJ, NYT, many Massachusetts newspapers, and more.
Global Career Information
If you are interested in working for a global company, you can search for Foreign Firms Operating in the United States and American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries. Also look in GoinGlobal.
For information about countries and their different industries, search Business Monitor International for country forecasts and industry reports.
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GoinGlobal This link opens in a new windowA career and employment resource that has country career guides, corporate profiles, and worldwide job and internship postings.
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Uniworld This link opens in a new windowIdentify and download lists of companies and their subsidiaries, both foreign and domestic.