Business Library

Scope of This Guide:

The construction sector comprises work primarily involved in the construction of buildings or engineering projects (e.g., highways and utility systems). Construction work done may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. Such activities are generally managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at multiple project sites. Establishments primarily engaged in contracts that include responsibility for all aspects of individual construction projects are commonly known as general contractors. Construction managers that provide oversight and scheduling only as well as construction managers that are responsible for the entire project are included as general contractor type companies. General contracting frequently arranges construction of separate parts of their projects through subcontracts with other construction establishments: Subsector 236, Construction of Buildings, comprises establishments of the general contractor type and operative builders involved in the construction of buildings; subsector 237, Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, comprises establishments involved in the construction of engineering projects; and subsector 238, Specialty Trade Contractors, comprises establishments engaged in specialty trade activities generally needed in the construction of all types of buildings. (2002 NAICS Definitions, U.S. Census Bureau)

Industry Definitions: Description by NAICS Sector / Sub-Sector

Databases for Industry Research

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage

• Industry surveys
• Bond ratings
• Company profiles and corporation records
• Stock, bond and fund research

• Industry sector analysis and research
• Industry trends and statistics
• Market research and trends
• Company profiles

• Real-time full-text investment research
• Reports cover companies and industries
• Over 750 contributing firms

• Aggregate data and analysis on industries
• Reports, articles, and company highlights

ABI/Inform (via ProQuest)

• Indexes over 1000 business periodicals
• Trade journals, business magazines, academic journals and other news sources
• Most articles full text

IBISWorld

• Over 700 full-text industry reports
• Over 700 US industry risk rating reports
• Information on over 8000 Publicly Traded Companies
• Hundreds of economic and demographic profiles

For additional database choices, see:

1. Database Descriptions
2. Database Comparison Chart

Selected U.S./World Industry Data & Company Sites

Selected Companies

Construction and Design Services

Commercial and Heavy:

• Halliburton Company
• Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc.
• Centex Corporation

Residential:

• Halliburton Company
• Weyerhaeuser Company
• Centex Corporation
• Pulte Homes, Inc.

Specialty Contracting

• Siemens AG
• Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
• EMCOR Group, Inc.

Resources for Identifying Companies in the Industry

Hoover’s Online

• Proprietary company overviews
• Industry breakdowns and explanations
• Competitor listings
• Financial synopses

Lexis/Nexis Corporate Affiliations
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A219

• U.S. corporate directory
• Holding company directory

Mergent Online

• Information on 11,000 U.S. public companies and 17,000 non-U.S. Public companies
• Detailed, standardized financial statements
• Searchable by company name, industry codes, revenue levels, and other characteristics
• Comparative analysis among companies
• Access to SEC reports

Ward’s Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A56

• Listings organized by NAICS code
• Ranks public and private companies by revenues/sales

Library Collections: Selected Reference Titles & Call Number Ranges

Selected Reference Titles

For additional materials, contact the Schreyer Business Library.

The Construction Specifier
Current Periodical – Engineering Library TH425.C6

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

Infrastructure industries USA: industry analyses, statistics, and leading companies
3rd Floor Paterno: HD2771.I54 1st.ed.

International journal of construction education and research

Labor Rates for the Construction Industry
Engineering Library, Reference (325 Hammond): HD4966.B92U43 2007

Plunkett's real estate & construction industry almanac
3rd Floor Paterno: HD1361.P583 2003

Skilled hands, strong spirits: a century of building trades history
3rd Floor Paterno: HD6515.B9P35 2005

Call # Ranges

HD28-9999 Industries, Land use and Labor
TE1-450 Highway engineering; Roads and Pavements
TG1-470 Bridge engineering
TH1-9745 Building Construction

Trade Associations: Selected Industry Associations Web Sites

Association of Equipment Manufacturers

Construction Industry Service Corporation

International Builders Show

National Association of Home Builders

• See also Associations Unlimited for association listings by subject or keyword.
• See also ABI/Inform for articles reporting trade association data.

Career Information: Selected Sources for Employment Information

American Institute of Constructors

Building Owners and Managers Association(BOMA)

• International owners and managers of buildings
• Job bank
• Training and education

Construction Management Association of America

Vault Online Career Library (Currently, Vault Guides are facing problems opening in Adobe Reader 8.x. Please see here for using FREE Adobe Digital Editions to access these guides)

1. Vault provides full-text career and industry guides
2. Includes company profiles, occupation descriptions, and career-related articles

Career Guide to Industries (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Business Library, Reference: HF5382.5.U5 C3162

Occupational Outlook Handbook  (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
CAT record for print copies
Business Library, Reference: HD8051.A623

Career Resources Page

3rd Floor, Paterno Library
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Reference Desk:
814-865-6369