Ka-Neng Au Business Librarian au@rutgers.edu 28 August 2009

Learning Tools: Class Guides: Dana Class Guides:
Business Communication (373:551)
Prof. Asi Schoenstein

• Executive Biographies
• Company Research
• Industry Analysis

Executive Biographies

Questions to consider:
1. What were his or her previous positions? With which company or companies?
2. How about educational qualifications?
3. Can you point to any personal accomplishments at or contributions to the company?

Resources:
• Start with Who's Who in Finance and Business (ALEXANDER, DANA, KILMER REF HF 3023 .A2 W5) This companion to the regular Who's Who in America provides biographical data on over 23,000 leaders in business administration, technology, and business-related professions. Now available online as part of Marquis Who’s Who on the Web.
• Refer also to the Dun & Bradstreet Reference Book of Corporate Managements (DANA REF HD 2745 .D85)
• Consult the Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives. (DANA Reference Desk) Vol. 2 includes the addresses, education, fraternal memberships, and business affiliations of the major executives of over 27,000 companies.
• Use Business Source Premier to find articles about your executive.
• Don't forget to check company Websites. Many more resources may be found on the Biographical Resources research guide.

Company Research

Questions to consider:
1. How is it managing critical issues and trends? Is its strategy sound?
2. Is the company's leadership strong and smart?
3. How does the company communicate with all of its stakeholders? (customers, investors, employees, the media)
4. How does its future look? Are you optimistic about its future? Why?

Resources:
• Use Business Source Premier to find articles about your company from magazines and journals. (Note: Consider the following search terms and phrases: corporate governance, outlook, strategic, strategy, social responsibility, trends.)
• Find Hoover's Company Records on your firm within Westlaw Campus Research.
• Find your company's profile on the MarketLine Business Information Centre, and note the SWOT analysis.
• Look at the 'Corporate Family' section of your company's profile on OneSource.
• Public companies in the U.S. are required to electronically file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Start with the EDGAR Company Search to locate reports such as 10-Ks and 10-Qs.
• Many firms now post their annual report to shareholders on their corporate Website. The following links will help you locate them:
• AnnualReports.com
• IRIN (The Investor Relations Information Network)
• Find recent newspaper articles in Factiva, or Access World News.
• More resources may be found on the Corporate Citizenship and Social Responsibility and the Special Topics sections of the Company Research Guide.

Industry Research

Questions to consider:
1. What does the industry do/produce?
2. What are the most critical issues and emerging trends currently driving this industry?
3. Who are the major players in this industry?
4. How have technology, globalization and competition affected this industry?

Resources:
• Start with Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys (CAMDEN, KILMER REF HC 106.6 .S74; DANA Reference Desk) for industry overviews and basic statistics: production, shipment, sales, revenues.
• Then, search for your industry's profile on the MarketLine Business Information Centre, and look for the Five Forces Analysis.
• IBISWorld provides reports for all of the 723 industries in the United States as categorized by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
• Many other sources of information are organized by the older Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). For example, you can consult the Encyclopedia of American Industries, which provides industry profiles by SIC categories.
• The leading companies in your industry may be found with volumes 5 (SIC) and 8 (NAICS) of Ward's Business Directory. (DANA Reference Desk)
• Note that most industry analyses are based on the Economic Census from the U.S. Census Bureau. Many more resources may be found on the Industry Research Guide.