Table of Contents: Secondary Research
Business Guides
These are guides on conducting internal and external audits by the Business Librarian, Jim Bondra.
- P.E.S.T.E.L. Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Environmental, Legal
- Porter's Five Forces (Rivalry Among Existing Competitors, Threat of New Entrants, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Threat of Substitute Products or Services; Bargaining Power of Buyers)
- S.W.O.T. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
- Business Plans
See also: Jim's guides on Company and Industry research:
Company, Industry, & Brand Analysis information
Trade and industry news, competitors, some industry reports such SWOT
- Business Insights (Gale) (Formerly known as Business Insights: Essentials)Contains detailed company and industry news and information including company profiles, brand information, rankings, investment reports, market research reports, SWOT reports, company histories, and more.
Contents: Company and industry information, articles, and statistical data. - Nexis Uni (LexisNexis)Contents: Full-text local, national, and international newspaper articles and legal resources.
Need search tips? See our guides for tips on Legal Searching and News Searching. - Business Source Premier (EBSCO)Covers all areas of business.
Contents: Full-text articles, books, news industry reports, market research reports, country reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses, working papers, and more. - ABI/INFORM Collection (ProQuest)This collection, comprised of ABI/INFORM Global, Trade & Industry, and Dateline, contains resources covering accounting, marketing, sports and business, and economics.
Contents: Full-text articles, dissertations, working papers, periodicals, country- and industry-focused reports, case studies, and market information.
- Yahoo FinanceSearch for news, symbols or companies.
- Seeking Alpha Analysis, news, earnings call transcripts, investment ideas.
Statistics
- StatistaSubjects are geared towards business and marketing statistical needs, and include consumer goods, media, politics, sports, travel, and technology.
Contents: Statistical information, data, infographics, and tables. - data.census.govThe data.census.gov platform provides access to data and digital content from the US Census Bureau including some data previously available through American FactFinder.
Contents: Census data. - Simmons Insights (MRI-Simmons)Contains U.S. adult (18+) consumer data on product and brand usage, spending behavior, and media habits. Users can create custom reports to analyze demographic and/or psychographic characteristics of product users and their media behavior.
Note: Access is limited to 5 users at a time.
Need search tips? Take a look at our YouTube video and the Simmons Insights (formerly Simmons OneView) Help section of our Marketing: Statistical Sources Guide. - SRDS Media SolutionsIncludes access to the following databases: Consumer magazines, Claritas 360, Digital websites, Newspapers, Out of Home, Radio, TV & Cable.
Contents: Advertising rates and deadlines, editorial or programming content, circulation, links to online media kits, web sites, and audit statements. - SMA | Sports Market AnalyticsCoverage includes sports equipment sales, sports participation statistics, the fan market, sports marketing information, and sponsorship for all major sports.
Contents: Full-text news and market research.
- Sports MarketingAnnual market research report available from Richard Miller & Associates available through SPORTDiscus. Includes some television viewing statistics.
- Data.govThe purpose of Data.gov is "to increase public access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government." The site includes searchable data catalogs providing access to data in three ways: through the "raw" data catalog, the tool catalog, and the geodata catalog.
- Data USAThe most comprehensive visualization of U.S. public data. Data USA provides an open, easy-to-use platform that turns data into knowledge. The software code is open source - users can build custom applications by adding other data.
- ProQuest statistical abstract of the United States.Annual compilation of key social science statistics for the U.S.
- GallupPresents daily briefings on a single current topic, as well as recent Gallup Poll findings for public opinion
- The Harris PollEstablished polling firm.
- Roper CenterPublic Opinion research firm.
- AP -NORC Center for Public Affairs ResearchThe AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research was created to join the expertise of NORC, one of the world’s premier independent research organizations, with The AP, which provides news seen every day over all media platforms and formats by more than half of the world’s population (website).
Nonprofits
- GuidestarSearch GuideStar for the most complete, up-to-date nonprofit data available. (website)
- Citizen AuditThe Most Comprehensive Source of U.S. Nonprofit Tax Data. (website)
- Charity NavigatorFounded in 2001, Charity Navigator has become the nation's largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities (overview).
- National Charity Report DirectoryBetter Business Bureau Reports on major charitable organizations
Local Companies
- U.S. Newsstream (ProQuest)Newspapers covered includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Newsday, and Chicago Tribune.
Contents: Full-text newspaper articles, broadcast transcripts, blogs, and news sites from the United States.
- Ithaca JournalNewspaper covering the Ithaca, NY region from 1999+
- Ithaca VoiceLocal online newspaper for Ithaca, NY. Launched: June, 2014
- Ithaca Times (ithaca.com)Ithaca's free weekly newspaper
- Tompkins WeeklyFree weekly news about Tompkins County, New York. Issues are available as pdf files.
- Current issues of The Ithacan2013 to date
- Cornell Daily SunCornell University's student newspaper.
Industry Print Reference
Print volumes accessible behind the Research Help Desk (to the right as you enter the library)
- Plunkett's entertainment & media industry almanac.Complete A-Z profiles on top companies with the latest statistics and trends in: Film & Video, Radio & Television, Cable & Satellite, Magazines & Books, Gaming, Newspapers, & New Media. Some Plunkett industry reports can be found online in the database Business Insights under the Industries tab.
- Standard & Poor's (S&P) Industry Surveys Published quarterly. Covers the 30 major industries which make up the S&P 500 . Gives a good overview of the industry, major news, trends, legislative/regulatory issues, statistics. Useful sections on specific sources to consult and how to analyze that particular industry.
- Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources Great starting point for what sources to consult when researching various business topics and industries. Lists such resources such as organizations, statistical sources, industry publications.
