Content last reviewed:
Getting Started
Use these resources to generally orient yourself to external factors affecting your market and industry.
- Business Source Complete - Find a country report that will describe general economic and political trends. To access these, type the name of the country in the search box and select country report as the publication type.
- Passport - Get country reports on consumer behavior, demographics and economics. Find reports on technological trends.
- Bloomberg - Use the BI function to find detailed reports on industries and economies.
- Conference Board of Canada - Reports on Canadian economy at the national, provincial and local level. Also contains reports on Canadian Industries.
- globalEDGE - Provides an overview and data for countries as well as links to other sources.
Find Industry-Specific Resources
Use Google to identify government bodies, associations and trade journals relevant to your industry. These will often provide information on PEST factors that affect the industry. Examples are the Canadian Dairy Information Centre, Canada Energy Regulator, Railway Association of Canada and Canadian Grocer.
Government Data
Look for Reports from Consulting Firms
Major consulting firms publish reports on trends affecting an industry. These include TESP factors. Major consulting firms include:
Find news related to your industry
Lobbyists (industry associations) are the interface between government and business. They work for the best interests of the industry and try to persuade governments to support them on issues.
Industry associations often provide information and data to the public. To find the relevant association(s) for your industry, search google for the industry + country + association. A few examples:
- Retail Council of Canada
- Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA)
- Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) (U.S)
Many non-governmental organizations are critics of industry. They act as a watchdog for the public and lobby governments to be diligent in overseeing activities of an industry. To find relevant NGOs, search google by keyword(s) + protection or organization. A few examples:
Think tanks are independent, nonpartisian, public policy research institutes that are often non-profit such as the C.D.Howe Institute, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Institute, etc. They do not have an agenda as many NGOs have, but conduct research and analysis on current issues and topics. Harvard Kennedy School provides a searchable database of over 600 think tank listings.
Select the link on a country's page to the Country Commercial Guide by the U.S. Commercial Service. The guide includes analysis of doing business with countries world wide.
Government Sources
Canada
Regulations (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) - A great starting point to find relevant government ministries, departments and other bodies associated with regulations for an industry.
List of Federal Departments and Agencies
To find the names of associations and companies that are currently lobbying goverment see Lobbying statistics - Subject Matter in Monthly Communication Reports
To stay on top of proposed regulations - Canada Gazette
To see the Government's regulatory intentions - Government-Wide Forward Regulatory Plans
Departmental/Agency Plans (DPs) describe the priorities and programmes for the next fiscal year, along with the expected outcomes
United States
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - Budget appendix contains financial information on individual programs and appropriation accounts
Government Accountability Office (GAO) - role is to improve the performance and accountability of the federal government
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register (updates the Code) and Reginfo.gov
Start here - Use these resources to orient yourself to the current economic outlook
- Business Source Complete
- Economist Intelligence Unit - provides disposal income
- Conference Board of Canada e-Library - browse by topic Economic Trends for forecasting at federal, provincial and municipal levels in Canada.
Government Sources
Canada
- Statistics Canada
- Google to find government bodies that may have economic information relevant to your industry. Examples: Canadian Energy Regulator; NATS - National Transportation Statistics; Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
- Bank of Canada
- Monetary Policy Report (quarterly) - Great starting point. Examines the global and Canadian economy with outlook information
- Business Outlook Survey (quarterly) - Great starting point. Survey of senior management of about 100 firms to gain their views on future economic activity
United States
Bureau of Economic Analysis -
Federal Reserve Bank of New York - U.S. Economy in a Snapshot
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis - FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data - has extended time series)
Data.gov - Search for open data from the US government
International
- OECD iLibrary - Access economic data related to OECD countries.
- UNData - Search through data from multiple UN agencies.
- Worldbank World Development Indicators
- Global Economic Prospects (World Bank). Note: Commodity Markets Website. Also, note Research and Publications - Data leads to country statistics.
World Economic Outlook (International Monetary Fund) - the publication has an underlying database. Note the link to Data leads to many databases, one of which is Principal Global Indicators.
Demographic Data
Statistics Canada - You must use this resource if you need demographic data for Canada
Census of Population is conducted every 5 years and is the most extensive source of Canadian demographic data.
- CHASS Census Analyzer - Access major demographic variables from the Census from 1986-2016.
- Census Program Website - 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 - Statistics Canada's Public Portal to access data for each Census after 1996. Each Census year has its own website.
- Census Datasets - Access more detailed Census data tables. Contains tables from 1991-2016. Generally each table represents an individual year.
Other Statistics Canada Data
Browse by Subject - Find data from many other Statistics Canada Surveys and Programs. Contains rich demographic and behavioural data that might not be included in the Census.
United States
- U.S. Census Bureau - You must use this resource if you need demographic data for the United States.
- Census Data Tool - data platform
- Browse by Topic
- Families and Households Data - Many Historical Data Tables with family characteristics.
- Decennial Census
- Published Census Volumes through IPUMS USA
- updated by population estimates and projections
- American Community Survey - Conducted yearly results are released as 1 year or 5 year estimates. Can be compared to the census for some variables. Instructions for comparing ACS data
- Data profiles of the United States (social, economic, housing and demographic)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 2012 Statistical Abstract - continued by ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States
Behavioural
- Passport - Provides international information on consumer preferences, behavior and markets with a focus on consumer goods and services. Use the top menu to select industries for industry-specific information and Consumers for general information on consumer behaviour. Use the Country Report box to select a specific country and report.
- Conference Board - Data on consumer confidence.
Attitudinal
Search public opinion polls for information on attitudes.
Look for data and information on technology that is used in, may disrupt or act as a substitute for your industry. Use corporate filings such as 10K or annual reports to find technologies relevant to your company. Big consulting firms and banks publish industry trend reports. Industry Associations and trade journals often write about new trends.
Major Consulting Firms
Library Resources
- Passport - Search for Top trends reports or specific technologies by name
- Business Source Complete - Search for technology and industry in Trade Journals
- Articles may also be found in Canadian Business & Current Affairs, Engineering Village, Factiva
Other Sources
Publicly Traded Companies - Annual Reports or 10k
Companies that are publicly traded are required to file documents with security regulators. These are detailed sources in information on a companies performance and strategy. You can generally find these on company websites in the investor relations section. Look for 10k Forms (United States) or Annual Reports (Canada).
- SEDAR - A database of corporate filings for companies traded on a Canadian stock exchange.
- EDGAR - A database of corporate filings for companies traded on an American stock exchange.
Top Library Databases
Business Source Complete
Key in a company name, scroll down and select SWOT.
Key in an industry, scroll down and select Industry Profile
Passport
Select companies from the top tabs and key in company name.
Select Industries from the top tabs and choose geographies.
Mergent Online
Provides company financial data and information as well as industry profiles. Select the Report Search tab from the menu followed by the industry of interest and then geographical region.
Small to Medium Enterprises and Private Business
- Statistics Canada NAICS Codes
- Industry Canada Financial Performance Data - For financial benchmarking
- Industry Sector Intelligence
- Statistics Canada
Trade association and Journals
Google the industry + country + associations to find trade associations
For example:
Retail Council of Canada
American Apparel & Footwear Association
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
Additional Company and Industry Resources
- Factiva Mouse over Companies/Markets from menu bar at top of page. Key in company or select industry from the list provided. Published profiles are found under Analysis and Profiles from menu on left.
- Conference Board of Canada e-Library Browse by topic -> Industry Sector Economics for industry profiles or enter industry name in the search box.
Library News Resources
- Factiva - (Top Choice) Largest source of business news available to Carleton. Globe and Mail, The Economist and the Wall Street Journal live here.
- OMNI - (Top Choice) Search the entire library collection. Includes news sources.
- Business Source Complete - Indexes business news magazine and scholarly journals.
- Canadian Business & Current Affairs Provides full text to Canadian business journals and magazines.
- Canadian Newsstand - Access to over 280 Canadian news sources
- Eureka - Full-text Canadian French and English newspapers from Alberta, the Atlantic provinces, Québec and aboriginal communities.
Good help is available!
Online Help
- A - Z listing of numerours library topics such as Writing a Book Review and Avoid Plagiarism.
- Also there are many Services available, including Group Study Rooms you may book in advance and Writing Tutorial Services.
- Ask a question using online chat to the Research Help Desk.
- Contact Matthew Gertler- Subject Specialist for Business and Government Information.
