Find Industry Information
Industries are commonly classified by one of two systems. Learning the numeric codes used for the industries your retailer operates in can make it much easier to locate information using the library's resources.
Be aware that while the codes themselves are centrally defined and standardized, the assignment by retailers and publishers of NAICS and SIC codes is not standardized. One publisher's interpretation of a company's primary industries may differ from another's, so be sure to check multiple sources and be aware of similar codes.
- North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)Expressed as a 2 to 6 digit numeric code: this is the industry classification system commonly used in North America. The first two digits designate the largest business sector, the third digit designates the subsector, the fourth digit designates the industry group, the fifth digit designates NAICS industries, and the sixth digit designates national industries.
- Standard Industry Classification System (SIC)Expressed as a 4 digit numeric code: organized by division, the first two digits refer to a Major Group, the third digit refers to an Industry Group, and the fourth digit refers to a specific industry sector.
Industry Association Websites
- Google SearchSometimes a simple Google search is all you need to uncover industry association websites. Structure your search like this:
Industry description + association.
To search for associations related to the food services industry, you could try:
Food services + association.
If you're struggling to describe your industry in a way that will provide results, try looking up the NAICS code's keywords that pertain to the industry and use those.
Industry Reference Materials
North American Industry Classification System 2012 by Call Number: HF1042 .N678 2012ISBN: 9781598885491Publication Date: 2012-08-01Published every five years, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is an indispensable volume of official industry codes used by businesses, libraries, and other establishments and individuals to complete tax returns, grant requests, and fill out other forms and to improve analyses and comparisons of different industries.
Encyclopedia of American Industries by Call Number: HC102 .E53 2011ISBN: 9781414486833Publication Date: 2011-06-16The Encyclopedia of American Industries provides detailed, comprehensive information on a wide range of industries in every realm of American business. Industries within are organized by SIC code.
Industry Profiles
Industry reports can contain a wide variety of information, including but not limited to:
- Current Operating Conditions
- Industry Leaders
- Market Data
- Products
- Supply Chain Information
The following resources are likely places to find industry reports. Note that different sources cover different industries, though there is some overlap. If you can't find an industry report using one source, try the following.
- Consider changing your keywords to other synonyms that could represent that area (for example: "candy" or "confections").
- If searching by an NAICS or SIC code, try different codes within that same industry, or truncate your code search to just a sector or sub-sector (for example, searching for 51*. Then browse the results.
- Try a different resource (an industry encyclopedia or another database).
- Consult a librarian for assistance.
- IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
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The best source at SRU for Industry Research - I highly recommend you try this one first. - Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
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Do an Advanced Search - I recommend doing the search by company and then using the limiters on the left to select Industry Reports or Profiles if any are listed. - Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowProvides the company overviews, ratios, prospects, and more. This is an ideal resource for company or competitive research. (Note: This database is limited to 20 concurrent users.)
Industry Ratios
- Key Business Ratios This link opens in a new window
Some of this information is also available in print in Industry Norms & Key Financial Ratios, located on the 1st floor in the reference section of the Research Services room.
Call Number - HF5681.R25 I53.
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios (2016) by Call Number: HF5681.R25 W55 2015 A45ISBN: 9780808041092Publication Date: 2015-09-15CCH's Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios is the first step in helping to determine a company's true measure of performance and value. The comprehensive resource puts 50 comparative performance indicators at the practitioner's command and covers all of North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico) using NAICS data. The Almanac provides financial information that is calculated and derived from the latest available IRS data on nearly 5 million U.S. and international companies. The Almanac gives you accurate performance data for 50 operating and financial factors in 199 industries.
