How do we find information?

1. How do we find information? Where do you start? In your brain…

2. Getting started… • Look at other people’s starting points subject guides, BUSLIB… • Look at your own saved starting points bookmarks, guides, experience • Jump onto the Internet/www search directories – Yahoo! search engines – Google • Look at standard reference sources general guides to the literature catalogs directories encyclopedias dictionaries

3. General guides to the literature/Basic business information sources • Daniells, Lorna M. Business Information Sources. Dated, but still valuable. Very representative. Includes summaries describing sources. • Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources. Gale Annual updates. 1,100 specific business topics included. Uses a dictionary approach, Not annotated, but many have brief notes describing content. Mini-bibliographies incorporating variety of formats. • Lavin, Michael. Business Information; How to Find It, How to Use It. Dated. In-dept descriptions of major business publications and databases with explanations of concepts. Not necessarily core, and not comprehensive, but are most frequently used works. The explanations are invaluable to novice researchers. • Strauss, Diane. Handbook of Business Information: A Guide for Librarians, Students, and Researchers.

4. Guides to the literature • Census Catalog and Guide. Annual catalog containing descriptions for current Census publications. Helpful guide to finding specific data. • Directories In Print. Gale. 10,000+ directories published in US. Has an extensive business coverage. Coverage of special issue publications, online and other formats.Information given includes brief content note of publication. • Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory. Over 110,000+ publications globally, grouped into broad subject categories. Available electronically through subscription. • Standard Periodical Directory. 70,000+ titles, but U.S. and Canada only. Extensive coverage of association publications, and other hard to locate publications.

5. Encyclopedias and Dictionaries (What is…) • Encyclopedia of Business • International Encyclopedia of Business and Management • Encyclopedia of Business and Finance • Wall Street Words • Dictionary of Economics • Dictionary of Business • Investorwords.com • http://www.investorwords.com/ • AmosWEB: ECONOMIC GLOSS*arama • http://www.amosweb.com/gls/

6. Handbooks (How to…) • Tend to be general in business, but specialized in accounting, finance, management… • Good for in-depth review of subject • Often they are really encyclopedias, dictionaries • May have policies, procedures

7. Loose-leaf services • Updated regularly • Expensive • Big publishers, CCH, Westlaw • Often replaced by online services or fee-based • But…often more useable than electronic • CCH tax guides

8. Types Investment Analysts reports (Investext) Company Reports (IBM Environment and Well-being Report) Industry Reports (Semiconductor ) Market Research Reports(Hoover’s.com Industry Snapshots) Publishers Government Associations Financial Services Market Researchers Individuals Companies Reports

9. Business Directories • Major resources for the collection • Comes in all types • Directories in Print • Directory of Corporate Affiliations • Directory of Advertisers • Directory of American Firms Doing Business in Foreign Countries • Encyclopedia of Associations • Reference USA • Can be very specialized • Directory of Biotechnology Companies in NC • Can be very expensive –Banks and Savings & Loans of North Carolina $700

10. Basic Name Address Telephone, fax, e-mail Annual sales Total employees Key management Private or public (exchange) SIC code Extended Info Subsidiaries/Divisions Products Directory of Corporate Affiliations (Corp Affiliations Plus-cd) Extensive management list Directory of Corporate Affiliations Additional financials Mergent Industrial Dir Hoover’s Handbooks Business Directories

11. Business Directories Organization • Alphabetical • Geographic • SIC/Industry • Some by sales • Some by city • Databases combines

12. Business Directories • Mostly used for Company information • Can be directory of market reports example: Findex

13. Business Directories or… • Consultants and Consulting Directory • North American Industry Classification System • Standard Industrial Classification System • Standard Directory of Advertising Agencies • Directory of Public Relations Firms • Directory of Executive Recruiters

14. Online Business Directories • Reference USA • Hoover’s Company Profiles • Million Dollar Directory • Corporate Affiliations Plus (cd-rom)

15. Business Databases Do Databases replace print? Should Databases replace print? • Issues • Patron needs and abilities • Costs • Equipment

16. Sole Proprietorship Most typical form Owned by a single owner Owner is considered the company therefore no taxes against the company Owner is liable for company failure Owner dies, company dies Only taxed once – considered personal tax Easy to form Company InformationForms of Business Enterprises

17. Forms of Business Enterprises 2. General & Limited Partnerships • Unincorporated business of two or more people, trust, or other partnerships, or corporations • Similar to sole proprietorship – not a separate tax entity • Each partner may be involved in day management • Both liable for debt, but only for their part of investment • One partner may supply money and other expertise

18. Forms of Business Enterprises 3. Corporation • Separate entity • Legally “incorporated” under state laws • Shareholders are owners – what % you own depends on stock • Corporations and individuals are taxed separately • No personal liability, corporation is liable for debts and other obligations • Easy to transfer ownership – you die, it lives • Easier to raise capital, investors have limited liability • Complicated to form

19. Understanding Business Hierarchies • Parent • Holding Company • Subsidiary • Division • Public Company • Private Company • Single Entity • Enterprise • Establishments

20. Number of Business Enterprises from 2001 Statistical Abstract of the United States

21. Company InformationWhat are we looking for? • Directory Information • Financials • Simple - annual sales, employee size, yearly revenues • Complex - ratios, market share • Products • The Market (competitors, market share, environment/local or US economy) • Management • Operations • Structure • Competition • Outlook

22. Simple Directories MergentS&PDirectory of Corporate Affiliations Hoover’s Handbooks… Annual reports / 10-K Company home pages Stock reports ValueLine Hoover’s Company Profiles Complex Annual Reports 10-K Company Home pages Investment Services reports Market Reports Company Financials

23. Company Market Information • Articles from magazines, journals • News sources • Association reports • Banks, accounting firms, real estate (may have to pay) • Market research reports

24. Company Management Information • Internal reports –(hard to get to) • Articles, news sources • Industry/Association reports (maybe not “construction association,” but retail management associations) • Interviews • Case studies • Print materials

25. Company forecasts/outlooks • Investment reports • Association reports • Annual Reports • Industry reports • Articles, news sources

26. Typical questions about companies • Public Library • Address, phone, executive name • Investment information • Open, close, price, graphs, analyses, historical • Business plan information • Competitors, market share, advertising costs, forecasts • Job interview information

27. Typical questions about companies • Academic Library • Company’s market share • Company’s annual sales • 5-10 year • Company’s products • Company’s competitors • Company’s financial ratios to compare to competitors • Distribution, delivery, facilities • Management issues • Case studies • Best practices

28. Typical questions about companies • Corporate Library • Market Share • Marketing reports • Executive contact information • Products, delivery systems • Sales • Credit ratings

29. Who publishes information about companies? Not the government - then who? Discuss…

30. Public Companies • What information can we get? • Financials • Competition • Strategies • Some management • Operating information • History • Current news • Not necessarily internal information – customer lists, distribution processes…

31. Private Companies • What information can we get? • Some financials ( if it is given, or if it is a big player in industry or region) Look in news sources! D&B reports – may have to pay • Some history (from local sources – news and articles, Chamber of Commerce, local publishing) • Some competition from industry reports • Local financials from county entities – tax information • Ownership – may get from county, city, tax records or articles of incorporation, if incorporated • Hoover’s Company Profiles • No financials from company web page • Products and history from company’s web page

32. International Companies • Some financials from news sources, International directories (Principal International Businesses, Directory of Corporate Affiliations), articles, competitive analyses, market share/competition • If publicly traded, go to stock guides • If publicly traded in US, can get more financials • Some brief management information from market reports, articles, news sources.