Industry overviews can be a helpful introduction to an industry. They might include statistics, trends, competitors, prospects and other information. They are available for a variety of industries in both library databases and free websites.
This page lists free sources of information and should be used in conjunction with the information under the "Industry Overviews - Library Databases" tab above.
Depending on the industry, there often high quality information available in free websites, including government, industry association, NGO or non-profit organization websites. Knowing how to use a search engine like Google effectively to identify reliable sources of information on an industry is essential.
Government websites
Government websites are often a great source for industry information and may include industry profiles, legislation and regulations and statistics.
Here are some specific government websites that include industry profiles:
Did you know that you can limit your search in Google to specific government websites? This is often the most efficient way to find industry information on government websites.
Here are some examples:
Tip: Remember to try a few searches using different search words, to vary your results. For example, here we might try "wind energy", "wind power", "wind turbines", "wind farms", "alternative energy", etc.
Industry Associations
Industry association websites are also a great source of information, including not only industry profiles but member directories (useful for identifying companies in an industry). Use Google or another search engine to search for industry associations relevant to your industry in your location.
Tip: If you don't find a relevant industry association, try broadening your geographic area (e.g. from Vancouver to British Columbia, or from Canada to the U.S. or international). Also, if your industry is very specialized or new, look for associations for broader or similar industries.
