Online Databases for Competitive Research
The fastest, easiest place to access industry and market intelligence is your desktop. Several research institutions have simplified the process of finding the most valuable information by creating portals that aggregate the best of these electronic resources.
Libraries often are overlooked by executives who need access to complete and current business intelligence. Public libraries located in major metropolitan areas offer the greatest wealth of online resources, many of which are accessible by anyone, regardless of location.
The New York Public Library research pages include a database of professional journals, searchable both alphabetically and by keyword; company directories; industry surveys and profiles; market research; and information about foreign trade and international business. If the sheer range of options becomes overwhelming, try the Places to Start Your Research (www.nypl.org/collections/articles-databases/places-start-research) page for guidance. There's also a page that offers downloadable media (www.nypl.org/ebooks), including e-books, audio books, and more than 700,000 digitized images.
Don't discount libraries in smaller towns or less urban regions. They may be members of information systems that afford library cardholders the opportunity to plug into a larger network.
Business owners can also avail themselves of the resources available online through leading business schools and MBA programs. For example, the Lippincott Library at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania maintains an excellent compendium of web-based company resources (http://gethelp.library.upenn.edu/guides/business/compdirectref.htm)l. Some are well known, like the Dun & Bradstreet website Hoover's Online, which provides limited free information about publicly-traded companies and offers more extensive information to paid subscribers. In addition, the portal lists such resources as:
- Global Sources, which provides information about suppliers, products, and trade shows throughout the world,
- ThomasNet, publisher of the Thomas Regional Electronic Network Directory (TREND), a database searchable by product or service, and the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers and
- the D&B Sales & Marketing Solutions website (www.zapdata.com), a tool for building prospect lists.
These business research portals are accessible to the general public, not just current students and alumni. Contact universities in your area or the nearest metropolitan areas to learn how these free resources can support your business objectives.
