Finding Overviews
Industry overviews might include statistics, trends, competitors, prospects and other information. Commercial databases available through the library contain high quality industry overviews that are not freely available on the Internet. Or, depending on the industry, high quality, free information may be available on government, industry association, NGO or non-profit organization websites.
On this page you will find lists of commercial industry & market research databases available through the library, some typical government sources and how to use Google to search government websites.
Industry & Market Research Databases
- BCC Research This link opens in a new windowProvides market analysis and forecasting on a wide range of major emerging technological and scientific developments in the industrial, pharmaceutical and high technology sectors worldwide.
- Business Source Ultimate This link opens in a new windowIndustry profiles for a variety of industries and locations, as well as country business & economic profiles.
- CB Insights This link opens in a new windowThe CB Insights tech market intelligence platform analyzes millions of data points on venture capital, startups, patents, partnerships and news mentions to predict emerging technologies and trends.
- eMarketer This link opens in a new windowMarket research and trend analysis on digital media, marketing and commerce. Topics covered include B2B and B2C eBusiness, online consumer behaviour, social media, mobile devices.
- IBISWorld Industry Reports This link opens in a new windowReports on over 700 US and Canadian industries and some global industries.
- MarketResearch.com Academic This link opens in a new windowMarket research reports for consumer products, demographics, food, beverage, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and more. Includes reports from various sources, including Freedonia Focus, Packaged Facts and Kalorama.
- Passport GMID This link opens in a new windowInternational statistical and market research reports for over 200 countries, covering consumer products and services, demographic and lifestyle reports and economic data.
- Vividata This link opens in a new windowSurvey data on Canadians' usage of over 3500 products and services. See the Help section for tutorials and guides.
PitchBook has comprehensive information on global capital markets, research, insights for both public and private equity markets.
- Statista This link opens in a new windowA simple to use statistics portal that integrates statistics from thousands of sources, on topics related to business, media, public policy, health and others.
- Warc : World Advertising Research Center This link opens in a new windowIncludes case studies, trends, company profiles, advertising spending statistics, economic data and consumer insight.
Government Websites
Search government websites for industry overviews, as well as legislation and regulations related to your industry.
- Canadian Industry StatisticsCanadian Industry Statistics, analyzes a wide range of economic indicators using the latest data from Statistics Canada
- Canadian Trade Commissioner Service Market ReportsAnalysis of specific industry sectors by industry sector or region/country
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development CanadaResearch and business intelligence site includes industrial sector reports
- U.S. International Trade Administration Data & AnalysisIncludes profiles of broad industries
- European Commission Enterprise and Industry Sectors OverviewsSelected industry profiles
- Austrade Export Markets - IndustriesAustralian government industry profiles for several countries
- UK Department for International TradeProfiles of selected industries
Industry Codes
Some market research databases and websites organize business information using industry codes.
The two industry classification systems you will come across most often are NAICS and SIC. Both are hierarchical, organized by broad industry categories, each divided into more specific industries.
Note: If you are researching a very specific or very new industry, it may not be included in these industry classification systems.
Look up the code for your industry:
- NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)Developed in 1997, by Canada, the United States and Mexico. Industry codes are from 2-6 digits long.
- SIC (Standard Industrial Classification):An older industry classification system. NAICS was intended to replace SIC, however, some resources still use SIC codes to classify information.
- Industry classification schemes: An analysis and reviewArticle explaining Industry Classification Systems.
Using Google to find Government Resources
Did you know that you can limit your search in Google to government websites? Here are some examples.
Tip: Remember to try a few searches using different search words, to vary your results.
- "wind energy" site:gov.bc.ca(adding site:gov.bc.ca searches BC government websites)
- "wind turbine" site:gc.ca(adding site:gc.ca searches Canadian federal government websites)
- "wind power"site:.gov(adding site:.gov searches U.S. government websites)
Researching a New or Specialized Industry?
Overviews are easier to find for broader, established industries and larger geographic areas (countries, regions, world).
If you cannot find information on your industry, look for a broader industry or geography.
Also, search for news or magazine articles in the databases listed on the "Articles & News" page.
