This guide focuses primarily on research for entrepreneurial ventures and is created specifically for Emory University students, faculty, and staff who are not part of the Goizueta Business School community. While GBS has many specialized databases for business research, most of them are licensed only for the GBS community. However, there are several resources available to the wider Emory community that you may find useful. First, it may be helpful to understand some of the key business sources and what you can expect to find in them.
Industry Research Reports - Typically written by analysts who have some expertise in an industry, these reports provide information on trends and performance of companies within a specific industry space. For example, an industry report about airlines will provide benchmark financial information for top airline companies, highlights of the competitive landscape, and a forecast for anticipated growth within that industry.
Market Research Report - These reports are focus on the people or entities that will eventually buy your product or service. It's easy to confuse Market and Industry, but there's a big difference. An industry exists to serve a market, and an industry can serve many markets. Some markets can also be other industries, and that's where things can get confusing. For example, companies in the winemaking industry can serve the consumer market via grocery stores and subscriptions, but they can also serve the airline market or the hotel/restaurant market. So these reports will focus on the demands, trends, and preferences among those who make buying decisions.
Public Filings - Companies that are traded on public exchanges are required to file annual and quarterly reports that describe their business activities and performance. These can be helpful sources of information about challenges within an industry, as well as operations and supply chain strategy.
Trade Publications & Industry Associations - Most industry association websites will provide at least some top level information about the industry and some publicly available research that discusses key trends or challenges. Some sites may also have a research or library section that is open to the public with statistics, surveys, and other useful insights (note: sometimes these sections are available only to members of the industry association). Trade publications are magazines that cater to a specific industry. Some require subscriptions, but there are many that offer their content for free on the web.
Consulting Firm White Papers - Consulting firms like Deloitte, EY, and McKinsey publish white papers and reports that
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