Industry Analysis
Industry Codes
In which industry is your product or service?
One of the first steps in conducting industry analysis is determining in which industry your product or type of business is. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system classifies business establishments by their primary type of activity. Each SIC code represents a different industry. For example, cell phones are under the SIC industry code 3663, for the "Radio and Television Broadcasting and Communications Equipment" industry. A company may have more than one SIC code, depending on the diversity of it For example, General Mills manufactures products from cereal to ice cream, so it is part of several industries. It has different industry codes to represent different divisions or type of business activity. s business activities.
The SIC system was officially replaced in 1997 by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which was developed jointly by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to provide better comparison of data about business activity across North America.
The importance of knowing your SIC and NAICS codes is that many business resources organize their information by these industry codes. However, many of the sources have not yet replaced SIC with NAICS. So, you will need to find out what the SIC and NAICS codes are for your industry.
Use the SIC Manual to identify the 4-digit industry code for your business:
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Manual
HF 1042 A55 1987 Info Commons Ref.
A searchable version of the SIC Manual is available online at http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/sicser.html.
Use the NAICS Manual to identify the 5- or 6-digit industry code for your business:
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
HF 1042 A55 1997 Info Commons Ref.
A searchable version of the NAICS, along with a conversion chart from SIC to NAICS, is available online at http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html.
Industry Analysis and Industry Ratios
What are trends in the industry? Where can I find analysis and investment reports about the industry?
A key way to find information about industries is to read through articles or other reports from business newspapers, business and trade magazines, and business journals. Often, this is the only way to find some types of information, and you may need to read through many articles to find the information you need. The library subscribes to several databases for business publications, as well as some reference books with industry information; a few recommended ones are listed here.
KEY RESOURCES
ABI/Inform
Includes citations and abstracts of articles in over 1000 academic journals, magazines, and newspapers(including the Wall Street Journal) of which over half are full-text. Broad subject coverage of business, management, accounting, information sciences, and related disciplines.
Search by NAICS code or do a subject search on your industry (e.g., coffee industry).
Business Source Complete
Business database that indexes over 10,000 scholarly business journals and other sources, with full text for over 9,500 titles. Also includes industry & market research reports from Datamonitor and country reports from CountryWatch and Business Monitor.
Search by NAICS code or do a subject search on your industry (e.g., coffee industry).
MarketResearch.com Academic
MarketResearch.com Academic is a database of in-depth, full-text market research reports, covering market size, competition, trends, and forecasts of a variety of industries, including consumer goods, retailing, food and beverage, agriculture, energy and resources, manufacturing and construction, materials and chemicals, life sciences (biotechnology, diagnostics, healthcare, medical devices, pharmaceuticals), technology and media, business and financial services, and the public sector. Also includes reports about different demographic groups.
Business & Company Resource Center
Database of company and industry profiles, company brand information, business rankings, investment reports, and articles from business periodicals. Mostly full-text. Do an Industry search using SIC or NAICS code.
Industry profiles available that focus on financial information and analysis of the industries. Click on "Standard Edition" on the left, then on the V symbol next to the industry to browse the list of industries included.
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
HG4921 .S68 Info Commons Ref
Arranged by broad industry categories. Includes overview of and trends in industries.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Business NewsBank
In-depth company, industry, product and executive news, covering both private and public companies. Offers full text coverage from hundreds of regional and local business publications (e.g., Inside Tucson Business).
Economic Census 2002
Available on the U.S. Census Bureau's Web site. Lots of valuable data arranged by NAICS code and geographic area.
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe
Full-text articles from thousands of news sources.
Choose the Business search form on the left-hand side of the page, then search in the Industry & Market News section.
Manufacturing & Distribution USA: Industry Analyses, Statistics, and Leading Companies
HD9721 .M36 Main Ref
Provides economic statistical information on manufacturing industries. Arranged by SIC code, includes information on leading companies, financial ratios, average number of employees, sales and types of materials consumed in certain industries.
Regional Business News
Full text for over 50 regional business journals, newspapers, and newswires, including Inside Tucson Business.
What are the industry's sales, ratios, and averages?
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios
HF5681.R25 T68 Main Ref
Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios
HF5681.R25 S4 Info Commons Ref
RMA Annual Statement Studies
HF5681.B2 R6 Main Ref
Industry competitors
One way to identify who your competitors are is by using various business directories. Some of these directories are arranged by SIC or NAICS code, so you can find a listing of companies in your industry, often further arranged by geographic area. You can also identify competitors/key companies through the articles you find searching some of the databases listed in the industry analysis section above.
Arizona
Arizona Business Directory
HF3161 .A6 .D52 Info Commons Ref
Arizona Manufacturers Directory
T12 .A72 Main Ref
Arizona manufacturers and related businesses listed alphabetically, geographically, and by SIC code.
Regional Business Directory. Phoenix/Tucson area. (Dun & Bradstreet's)
HG4058.P545 D86 Info Commons Ref
Listing of companies in the Phoenix and Tucson areas by SIC code, geographically, and alphabetically by company name.
United States
American Wholesalers and Distributors Directory
HF5421 .A615 Main Ref
Consultants & Consulting Organizations Directory
HD69.C6 C65 Main Ref
Directory of Corporate Affiliations
HG4057 .A22 Info Commons Ref
Million Dollar Database
Companies listed alphabetically and by SIC code.
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers
HD9720 .T6 Main Ref
Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies
HG 4057 A575 2001 Info Commons Ref
Companies listed alphabetically and by SIC code.
Global
Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries
HG4538.A1 D5 Main Ref
Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States
HG4057.A2 D57 Main Ref
Principal International Businesses
HD69.I7 D8 (Info Commons Reference)
Companies in countries around the world, organized by country and SIC code.
Market Share
Some market share information may be found in the Business & Company Resource Center database:
- Do an Advanced Search.
- In the Content Area, select Rankings.
- Search on SIC code, NAICS code, keyword, or company name.
- At the top of the list of results, click on the small tab Market Share.
Market Share Reporter
HF 5410 M35 Info Commons Ref
AND
World Market Share Reporter
HF5410 .W67 Info Commons Ref
Arranged by SIC code, provides market share data on various industries, companies, products, and brands.
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