Skip to Main Content

BUS 305: Principles of Management

Ethics

Corporate Research ProjectResearch project homepage

  • Free website
  • Provides access to Corporate Rap Sheets and Violation Tracker.

Proxy Statement

  • Annual public company filing that provides in-depth information on management policies and practices

Finding a company's Proxy Statement

  • The company's website
    • Check under "Investors" or "Investor Relations" or "About"
  • Search EDGAR
  • Use the library database Mergent Online
    • Enter a company to search
    • On results, select tab labeled Filings

Form 10-K

  • For large pending court cases, check Item 3: Legal Proceedings

Google News

  • User-friendly news search tool

Strategic plans

Fair Disclosure Wire

  • Provides latest earnings call transcripts
  • Available through the ABI/INFORM Collection library database

CEO articles

Google News

The Wall Street Journal

The Financial Times

The New York Times

Competitive analysis

IBISWorld Industry ReportsHomepage

  • Check the sections labeled Competitive Landscape and Major Companies

MarketLine Company ProfilesMarketLine report coverpage

  • Check the Top Competitors section within each company profile
  • From the library's Business Source Premier database.

Plunkett Analytics Industry Reports

  • U.S. national industry reports
  • Heavy on industry data
  • From the library's ABI/INFORM Collection database

Market Share Reporter

-

Short video on the Market Share Reporter

Demonstrates three types of market share searches using the online resource, the Market Share Reporter.

Porter's Five Forces

MarketLine Industry Profiles

  • International coverage
  • Includes a Five Forces Analysis (Important: Do not copy and do your own analysis)
  • From the library Business Source Premier database

 

IBISWorld Industry Reports

  • Check sections such as:
    • the "About" section for links to additional IBISWorld reports on suppliers and buyers
    • "Industry at a Glance" section with its Industry SWOT  
    • "Competitive Landscape" and "Major Companies" sections

First Research Industry Profiles

  • Check report sections such as
    • Competitive Landscape
    • Products, Operations & Technology
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Critical Issues
    • CEO section of Executive Insight
  • From the library's ABI/INFORM Collection database

 

SWOT

SWOT Analysis

For help in building an insightful and persuasive analysis, it might help to break down SWOT into two parts.

Part 1: Strengths and Weaknesses

  • This is usually the internal part of the analysis where you will focus on your company. Useful information sources include company reports, company government filings (e.g., 10-K), and articles. 

Part 2: Opportunities and Threats

  • Ths is the external portion of the analysis where you will focus on the industry in which your company operates. Information sources include industry reports, articles on your industry, and industry trade associations. 

MarketLine Company ProfilesMarketLine report coverpage

  • Includes SWOT analysis on select companies
  • Important: Do not copy SWOT and do your own analysis
  • From the library's Business Source Premier database.

GlobalData Financial and Strategic    SWOT Analysis Reviews

  • Includes SWOT analysis on select companies
  • Important: Do not copy SWOT and do your own analysis
  • From the library's ABI/INFORM Collection database

IBISWorld Industry ReportsHomepage

  • The report section Industry at a Glance includes an industry SWOT analysis
  • Over 1,200 U.S. industries

First Research industry report cover page

First Research Industry Profiles

  • U.S. focus
  • Search by NAICS and/or keyword
  • From the library's ABI/INFORM Collection database