LibGuides: GBUS 698A: Graduate Project/Consulting: Home

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LA and Valley news resources

NewsBank California Collection This link opens in a new window
Other California-specific newspapers and magazines.

LAPL business databases and directories

Los Angeles Public Library has a world class collection to support business research. Plus you can use it even after you graduate!

Residents of the City of Los Angeles may apply for an e-card online, but anyone with a California ID may get a physical card. More info is on their website.

To find the business resources, go to Research & Homework Help and check the boxes for Business and Company Information.

Some databases to consider are:

Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly known as ReferenceUSA)
Gale Business (Demographics Now, Plan Builder, etc.)
Hoover's Company Profiles
Leadership Connect
Legal Information Reference Center
Nexis Dossier
Standard Rate and Data Services (SRDS)
Statista
Value Line Library

LAPL also has a helpful guide, Entrepreneurs and Small Business, which combines library and freely available resources.

SWOT Analysis

Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
Find sample SWOT analyses for companies using this database. Note: you will NOT be able to find a SWOT analysis for your assigned client, because this database has only included large public companies as opposed to smaller businesses in LA/the Valley.

Encyclopedia of Management by Gale (Firm) Staff (Contribution by)
Call Number: ebook
ISBN: 9781414464336
Publication Date: 2012
This encyclopedia defines terms like SWOT.
Maximizing the Value of Consulting by Jack J. Phillips; William D. Trotter; Patricia Pulliam Phillips
Call Number: ebook
ISBN: 1119123674
Publication Date: 2015-05-19
Including information on SWOT, this book can help guide your consulting plan.

Porter's Five Forces

Quick MBA: Porter's Five Forces
This site offers an explanation of Porter's Five Forces, which is a model to describe the profitability of an industry. To access Porter's Five Forces for specific industries, use MarketLine reports within Business Source Premier.

Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
To find Five Forces Analyses, use MarketLine industry reports in Business Source Premier.

Sample article using Five Forces Analysis
"Guidelines for applying Porter's five forces framework: a set of industry analysis templates" article from Competitiveness Review (journal)
Dissecting IBISWorld Reports with Porter’s Five Forces
Determine an industry’s potential using IBISWorld industry reports and Porter’s Five Forces. This guide was created by IBISWorld.

Essential databases for consulting

Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window Full text for more than 2,200 journals, including full text for more than 1,100 peer-reviewed titles in all business disciplines, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics. Additional full text, non-journal content includes market research reports, industry reports, country reports, company profiles and SWOT analyses.
Financial Times (FT.com) This link opens in a new window
FT features world business, politics and economic news, as well as dedicated coverage of company news, climate change, technology, the arts, culture and book reviews. Students, faculty, and staff may create a free personal account that includes FT.com app or desktop access, set up myFT customized news feeds and alerts, access special reports and the ePaper, which is the digital reproduction of todays print edition.
IBISWorld This link opens in a new window A business information databases that includes economic, demographic and government data to provide insight into over 700 industries in America. It includes market conditions and forecasts, supply chain information, risk ratings reports, and business environment profiles.
Mergent Online This link opens in a new window Fully searchable database with financial details of over 13,000 active and inactive public companies listed on the NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ exchanges, as well as over 24,000 non-U.S. active and inactive companies. Includes over 300,000 U.S. and international company annual reports.
Mintel Reports This link opens in a new window Mintel Reports include detailed consumer research, sales data and market information along with analysis, context and commentary to provide the complete picture of the past, present and future of key markets.
Statista This link opens in a new window Statista provides statistical data on many topics including media, business, politics, society, technology and education. Sources include market reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases. Data can be accessed by searching or browsing by industry, topic, country, digital market or infographic.
Wall Street Journal (WSJ.com) This link opens in a new window
This provides current access to the Wall Street Journal and all their online content. It requires new users to create a WSJ account. After registering, you will be able to use WSJ apps and log in across all devices.

PESTEL Analysis

WSU Library guide to PESTEL
This is a helpful guide: make sure if you want to use any of the databases (such as ProQuest Global Newsstream) that you return to the University Library's website and log in from here.

ProQuest Global NewsStream This link opens in a new window Full text access to a large selection of national and international newspapers, news wires and news sources.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window Explores a single hot issue in the news in depth each week. Covers topics in health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the economy.

Pew Research Center A nonpartisan fact tank that studies "U.S. politics and policy; journalism and media; internet, science and technology; religion and public life; Hispanic trends; global attitudes and trends; and U.S. social and demographic trends."
US Census Data

GBUS 698A: Graduate Project/Consulting