Library Guides: MGT 421: Su: Industry Research

Identify Your Industry

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal agencies in Canada, Mexico and the United States to classify businesses based on their type of economic activity. NAICS codes are self-assigned by businesses.

Image Source: IBISWorld

Selecting your primary NAICS code is an important step in business planning. It is often required for taxes and accessing government incentives, and it is very useful for finding information in your industry research.

What is my NAICS code?

IBISWorld NAICS Tools
Use IBISWorld to learn about NAICS and determine your business's code
NAICS Search
Search for an industry using a keyword or 2-6 digit code.

Find Industry Profiles

IBISWorld
Industry research database providing comprehensive industry reports for NAICS and specialized industries, including performance metrics, product and market trends, statistics, and detailed information for competitive and external environment analysis.
This industry research database contains reports on industries in the China, Global, and U.S. markets. The U.S. content is further subdivided into: Industry Reports classified by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), Specialized Industry Reports for industries not adequately covered by NAICS, US Industry State Reports, US State Economic Profiles, US Industry iExpert Summaries, US Specialized Industry iExpert Summaries, US Business Environment Profiles, and US Business Environment State Profiles. Global industry reports are strong in the manufacturing sector. Each report contains an “at a glance” overview (including SWOT analysis), performance data, outlook data, products & markets analysis, competitive landscape analysis, lists of major companies, operating conditions, and key statistics. Statistics include financial ratios and industry averages from the Risk Management Association.
NetAdvantage
Open the Industry Surveys tab and find your industry in the Select a GICS Industry list. Industry reports are comprehensive and include references and detailed analysis.
Updated daily. Provides a comprehensive, professional source of investment information and analysis on industries and companies. Full text coverage includes stock, bond, and mutual fund guides and reports; earnings and dividends reports; comprehensive company information; industry surveys for 52 major U.S. industries; and directories of companies, executives and security dealers

Find Industry Data

Statista
An extensive statistics platform providing data, reports, and charts, using data from market reports, government data services, and trade & research organizations, offering data-driven insights across industries, markets, and consumer trends.
At statista.com, access statistical data for more than 170 industries from over 80,000 topics in areas such as business, education, finance, media, politics, society, and technology. Statista gathers data from over 20,000 sources, including market reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases, and the reports, charts, infographics, and statistics can be viewed online or downloaded.

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Industry Data
Analysis of economic performance of industries, including GDP, input, output, employment, and production data
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Industry Data
Workforce, wage, and price statistics by industry.

Trade and Industry Associations

Trade and industry associations are organizations made up of businesses from specific industries or sectors. Many trade and industry associations conduct research, publish educational materials, and engage in a variety of public relations and political activities. Their websites can be sources of data and information useful for industry research.

A simple Google search for an industry term + "trade association" can help you find trade associations relevant to an industry.

Examples: