Industry Surveys
Get an overview of how an industry operates, the trends, and more. The most notable industry surveys are the S&P Industry Surveys through NetAdvantage.
Go to: the Industry Survey Locator - A database of industry surveys that appear in databases and other reference materials. A good first place to check for industry surveys and overviews.
Which databases are in the Locator?
- MarketLine Industry Profiles This link opens in a new window
MarketLine (Formerly Datamonitor) Industry Profiles provide profiles on industries worldwide and are available through the Business Source Complete database. Each industry profile includes a market overview, market share, market size, leading companies in the industry and market forecasts. To locate an industry survey, type the industry name in the search box, select title from the drop-down menu and click on the Search button.
- IBISWorld This link opens in a new windowIndustry snapshots include statistics and key facts as well as information on key issues facing the industry.
- Mintel Academic This link opens in a new window
Mintel reports provide information on markets for consumer products, travel, lifestyles, and leisure. Our subscription predominately covers products and markets in the United States. Each report combines data & analysis of the competitive landscape and consumer profiles. For instructions see the Mintel Tutorial.
- Hoover's Industry Snapshots This link opens in a new windowProvides more than 600 industry snapshots from Hoovers Company and Industry Reports via Nexis Uni. The snapshots include the following industry information or links to relevant information: Description; Terminology; Associations & Organizations and Selected Resources.
The databases listed below are not available in the Industry Survey Locator, but will be very helpful for finding information on technology and healthcare industries:
- Frost & Sullivan This link opens in a new windowFrost & Sullivan is a well known information technology research and advisory company. Frost & Sullivan reports cover technology and market trends in various technology, energy and manufacturing related fields. Please note that most reports can only be viewed in html form. If you would like access to a report in PDF format and you are unable to access it, please send an email to pardstf@bu.edu.
- Gartner Research This link opens in a new window
Gartner, Inc. is a well-known information technology research and advisory company that provides insights to help clients make informed decisions related to information technology. Reports contain research findings and advice on technology markets, topics, and industries. Follow instructions at the BU IS&T site to register for an account to gain access.
- Fitch Solutions Country Industry Reports This link opens in a new window
(2018-present) International coverage of 22 industries and 35 commodities. Industry reports include: industry forecast, SWOT analysis, risk/reward indices, industry trends and top competitors. In-depth reports are released quarterly.
For reports from before 2018, see Business Monitor International.
Industry Articles
- ProQuest One Business This link opens in a new window
ProQuest One Business combines multiple ProQuest business information databases including ABI-Inform, Accounting, Tax & Banking and Entrepreneurship and contains more than 130 million documents. Content in this database also covers over 2,400 journals and magazines, several hundred news sources, thousands of ebooks, videos and company, industry and country reports.
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
Provides bibliographic and full text content, including indexing and abstracts for scholarly business journals back to 1886 and full text journal articles in all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, accounting, finance and economics. The database full text content includes investment research reports, industry reports, market research reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses. Sources covered by this database include Economist Intelligence Unit country reports.
- Factiva This link opens in a new window
Provides worldwide full text access to local and regional newspapers, trade publications, business newswires, press release wires, media transcripts, news photos, business-rich websites, investment analyst reports, market research reports, country and regional profiles, company profiles, historical market data.
- Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Nexis Uni is a source for newspapers and magazines, trade journals, wire services and transcripts, as well as legal sources for federal and state cases and statutes, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions since 1790, and information on U.S. and international companies and executives.
Data and Statistics
- Mintel Academic This link opens in a new windowMintel reports provide information on markets for consumer products, travel, lifestyles, and leisure. Our subscription predominately covers products and markets in the United States. Each report combines data & analysis of the competitive landscape and consumer profiles. For instructions see the Mintel Tutorial.
Manufacturing & Distribution USA
Location: Pardee Reserve - Reference HD9723 .M365Industry information arranged by NAICS code, including competitors, materials, statistics, inputs and outputs. The latest copy is at the Pardee Services Desk on the Reserve-Reference (High Use) shelves.
ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United StatesLocation: Mugar Library HA202 .E78Provides a summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. The latest copy is at Mugar Library Reference.
Industry Financial Ratios
- eStatement studies This link opens in a new windoweStatement Studies provides composite performance metrics derived directly from the financial statements of financial institutions’ borrowers and prospects including 19 financial statement ratios and common size balance sheets and income statements. Ratios and common size financials are available for more than 760 industries and are organized by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. This is the online edition of the RMA Annual Statement Studies.
IRS Corporate Financial RatiosLocation: Pardee Reserve- Reference HF5681.R25 I72The latest copy is at the Pardee Services Desk on the Reserve-Reference (High Use) shelves.
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial RatiosLocation: Pardee Reserve- Reference HF5681.R25 T68Financial ratios for over 170 lines of business. Organized by NAICS code. Source of data is U.S. Federal tax returns. The latest copy is at the Pardee Services Desk on the Reserve-Reference (High Use) shelves.
Industry Norms and Key Business RatiosLocation: Pardee Reserve- Reference HD2771 .I53Published annually by Dun & Bradstreet. Financial ratios for over 600 lines of business. Organized by SIC code. Data is provided by D&B’s financial information sources. The latest copy is at the Pardee Services Desk on the Reserve-Reference (High Use) shelves.RMA Annual Statement Studies
Location: Pardee Reserve- Reference HC110.I6 F57Published annually by Risk Management Association. Financial and operating ratios for approximately 300 lines of business. Data is provided by RMA’s lending and credit institutions. The latest copy is at the Pardee Services Desk on the Reserve-Reference (High Use) shelves.Financial studies of the small business
Location: HD2346.U5 F55aThe latest copy is at the Pardee Services Desk on the Reserve-Reference (High Use) shelves.
SIC/NAICS Codes
- Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowSelect the Business link on the Company Details tab to find the SIC/NAICS code for the industry your company is in. The primary and secondary codes are given.
Help in searching for SIC/NAICS codes:
- Census DataAccess data about the nation's people and economy including demographic data and the Economic Census.
- U.S. Census NAICS-SIC Concordance TablesFind your NAICS code, and you will find the corresponding SIC code. Click on Concordances located under Reference Files.
- North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) SearchSearch by keyword to find the NAICS code for the industry you are researching. Includes 2017, 2012 and 2007 NAICS codes.
- Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC) SearchSearch by keyword to find the SIC code for the industry you are researching.
