Diane Zabel
e-mail:dxz2@psu.edu
814-865-6369
Business Library
Industry research is a key ingredient of strategic planning. For this segment of your assignment, you need to identify opportunities and problems in an industry, identify key players, and identify major trends in an industry. Work your way through the following questions in order to complete this component.
What is the industry code for the industry you are researching?
An industry is a group of companies involved in the same economic activity. Until recently, these economic activities were designated by a system of numeric codes called the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) System. This system, developed by the Federal government more than fifty years ago, assigned a 4-digit number to a specific industry. For example, the SIC code for restaurants was 5812. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) has, for the most part, replaced the SIC System with 6 digit NAICS numbers. Additionally, new industries are being separately recognized for the first time with NAICS, including bed and breakfast inns, limited service restaurants, casino hotels, casinos, and other gambling industries. Consult the U.S. Bureau of Census NAICS site for a list of NAICS codes, tables showing correspondence between NAICS and the SIC system, and other information on how NAICS differs from the SIC System.
You can find industry codes for specific companies in these business directories:
Directory of Corporate Affiliations
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A219
Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A56
Mergent
Mergent Online is a subscription-based service offering information on 11,000 U.S. public companies and 17,000 non-U.S. Public companies. Mergent Online is produced by Mergent, Inc. (formerly known as Moody's).
Where can I find a profile of the industry, including basic data, composite industry data, and an indication of key issues and trends?
Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage
This full text database is the electronic version of several leading Standard & Poor Publications, including Industry Surveys.
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
Business Library, Reference: HG4965.S77
Online: Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage
This source provides background information about major industries including composite industry data. The lengthy analyses discuss issues, problems, and trends.
Encyclopedia of American Industries
Business Library, Reference: HC102.E53 2007
Encyclopedia of Global Industries
3rd Floor Paterno: HD2324.E53
Value Line Investment Survey
This investment service is a good source of factual and advisory information about many industries.
The most complete statistical information on individual industries in the United States is compiled by the Census Bureau with the Economic Census. Statistics from this census are used by businesses for a wide range of decisions. Where can I find data from the Economic Census, a census conducted by the Federal government every five years?
U.S. Census Bureau
This comprehensive site includes data from the Economic Census. Click on "Subjects A - Z". Select the letter "E" and then the "Economic Census".
Aggregate industry data can also be found in the following sources:
Business Statistics of the United States
Business Library, Reference: HC101.A13122
U.S. Market Trends and Forecasts
3rd Floor Paterno: HF5415.1.A83
WEFA Industrial Monitor
Business Library, Reference: HC101.W44
Some of the best information about the hospitality industry can be found in publications produced by consulting firms, market research companies, nonprofit research centers, trade and professional associations, and other publishers. What are some of the key specialized hospitality publications that I should consult for information on my industry?
Survey of Business Travelers
3rd Floor Paterno: G153.S87
Travel Industry World Yearbook: The Big Picture
Business Library, Reference: G155.A1T655
Tourism Works for America
Business Library, Reference: G155.A1T692
Economic Review of Travel in America
Business Library, Reference: G155.U6E32
The Domestic Hotel/Motel Traveler
3rd Floor Paterno: G155.U6H31
E-Travel Consumers
3rd Floor Paterno: G155.U6E8
The Mature Traveler
3rd Floor Paterno: G155.U6M288
The Minority Traveler
Business Library, Reference: G155.U6M38
Profile of Travelers Who Participate in Gambling
Business Library, Reference: HV6715.P76
Travel Profile: Singles, Couples, Parents, and Roommates
3rd Floor Paterno: G155.A1T125
Profile of Travelers Who Attend Sports Events
Business Library, Reference: G155.U6P757
The Shopping Traveler
Business Library, Reference: G155.U6S567
Domestic Outlook for Travel and Tourism
Business Library, Reference: G155.U6T712
International Outlook for Travel and Tourism
Business Reference G155.U6T72
Traveler's Use of the Internet
Business Library, Reference: G155.U6T712
Travel Industry Association of America's Technology & Travel Profile
3rd Floor Paterno: G155.U6T71
International Business Travel: A Changing Profile
3rd Floor Paterno: G156.5.B86R69
The World Cruise Ship Industry in the 1990s
3rd Floor Paterno: G550.W671
The World Cruise Ship Industry to 2000
3rd Floor Paterno: HE566.E9P45
The HOST Study
Business Library, Reference: TX909.A1467
Trends in the Hotel Industry
Business Library, Reference: TX909.A1H301
U.S. Business Reporter--Lodging & Gaming Industries
The Restaurant Industry in Review
Business Library, Reference: TX901.R37
Tableservice Restaurant Trends
Business Library, Reference: TX909.A1T32
QuickService Restaurant Trends
Business Library, Reference: TX945.Q53
The Technomic Public Chain Restaurant Company Report
Business Library, Reference: TX945.T416
The Technomic Top 100
Business Reference TX911.3.F5T437
The Technomic Second 100
3rd Floor Paterno: TX945.T422
Restaurant Industry Operations Report
Business Library, Reference: TX911.3.F5L303
International Hotel Industry: Corporate Strategies and Global Markets
3rd Floor Paterno: TX911.3.P46T63
The Restaurant Industry 2010: The Road Ahead
Business Library, Reference: TX945.R475
Foodservice 2050: A Glimpse of the Future of the Foodservice Industry
Business Library, Reference: TX911.N38
The Economic Impact of the Nation's Eating and Drinking Places
Business Library, Reference: TX945.E36
Meal Consumption Behavior
Business Library, Reference: TX945.M43
Holiday Dining
Business Library, Reference: TX360.U6H6
Restaurant Industry Forecast
Business Library, Reference: TX945.N39
Restaurant Industry Numbers: 25 Year History, 1970-1995
Business Library, Reference: TX945.R476 1998
Restaurant Spending: Consumer Expenditures on Food Away From Home
Business Library, Reference: TX945.R47
U.S. Business Reporter--Restaurant Industry
Online
Trade and professional associations play an important role in disseminating industry information. Many of these associations have developed Web sites that provide substantive industry information. How can I find an association's home page?
Associations Unlimited
Use this database to find information about associations and professional societies around the world.
Where can I find recent articles about an industry that have been published in news magazines, trade journals, and newspapers?
Use these indexes to locate articles on industries that have been published in news magazines, trade journals, and newspapers. Some of these indexes provide the full text of articles.
Lodging, Restaurant, and Tourism Index
Business Library, Reference: TX901.L44
"Locating Industry Information" Tutorial
Lodging and Gaming Industries Guide (archive)
Restaurant/Food Service Industry Guide (archive)
