If you need help figuring out which database to use or have other questions, please email Lindsay or make an appointment on the main page.
Use Mintel when you want to read market research reports and data books. The only information they have on specific companies tends to be in news reports and not market research reports: it is not recommended to use Mintel to research a company, especially a small company. The best way to use Mintel, other than to browse reports, is to read a report that connects to your company or client: for example, if your client is Ford and you would like to explore how they'd market to younger drivers, look at a report on marketing to Gen Z.
You can search by keyword or browse reports by Category, Region, Trend Drivers, or Demographics.
To find general information about consumer behavior, Demographics is a great place to start. Here is a sample search on Gen Z:
You can review the report, and then go into the data book to create your own cross-tabs by selecting further demographics.
If you plan on using Mintel for other classes, you can create a free account that will help you save reports and receive updates on new content.
Use Statista to find data and statistics on almost anything. You can search for an industry, a company (again, it needs to be a large company), a concept (such as sustainability), or region.
Here is a sample report based on a search for electric vehicles:
You can download reports in Statista and though you should never be asked to pay for anything, if you ever hit a paywall, ask a librarian.
Use IBIS World to search for industry info (at both the national and state level) and benchmarking reports for large companies. Note: small companies will not be included in benchmarking reports, so if you are working on small business consulting, search for a peer or competitor.
By searching for a company, such as Adidas, you will get results for the company benchmarking and the industry (Footwear Wholesaling).
Both industry and company benchmarking reports will include a lot of valuable information, including SWOT analyses, trends, and questions to ask as consultants:
State level industry reports have valuable information and you can also view data at the county level.
You can download reports in IBIS World and use the APA 7 for Business guides on the main tab for help with citations.
The Wall Street Journal is a critical part of your research. You can search for companies, industries, trends, and more. Depending on your specific project, you'll likely need to find information about the economy, consumer spending, etc. You can browse by the highlighted terms below, or use keyword searching.
If you've not signed up for your free account, the instructions are on the main page of this LibGuide. And remember that two of the apps (WSJ and Print Edition) will be helpful for your business classes.
