Industry Research
This page contains some recommended resources to help you research services and industries.
Remember - when searching for information about a company, product, service or industry, you may have to look at the bigger picture as well as the details specific to your particular business, product or service. If you can’t find enough on the company/service/product, try to place it within the larger industry. Also, keep in mind industry dominated by private companies will have less open information available.
- Identify your industry first. Look for the NAICS code for more information about the industry. https://www.naics.com/search/
- NAICS is a system for classifying businesses so that similar companies will be assigned the same NAICS code. It helps to know how industries are organized by code in order to find the closest related industry.
- Databases like IBISWorld allow you to search by keyword or NAICS code. If you can't find reports on your industry, it helps to know how industries are organized by code in order to find the closest related industry.
- Search in library databases and online for trade journals, also known as professional magazines. These are often published by an association and cover news and items of interest concerning a particular trade or industry. Proquest's One Business permits you to limit your research to trade journals.
- Association websites can contain a wealth of information about an industry. For example: The Canadian Mining Association https://mining.ca/
- Look in library databases for industry reports, company reports, and/or articles related to your topic.
- Best bets for industry reports
- Ibisworld (Canadian, US and International industry reports)
- Proquest One Business (Industry and Country Reports)
- Statista (Industry and Market Reports and Market Insights)
- Canadian Business and Current Affairs
- Canadian Newsstand
- Best bets for industry reports
- Be creative! Use other resources to find specific information about financials, market size and share, demographics, and/or consumer behaviour.
Adapted from: Iaizzo, Teresa. “Researching a Company, Product, Service, or Industry” George Brown College Library. Web. Sep 25, 2017
Library Resources
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Cybersecurity Threats and Attacks in the Gaming Industry : Secure Game Players' and Developers' Data and Systems
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ISBN: 9798868814921Publication Date: 2025 -
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The Future of the Automotive Industry - Opens in a new window
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ISBN: 9781484270257Publication Date: 2021-06-23Nothing defined the 20th century more than the evolution of the car industry. -
Industry 4.0 – The Global Industrial Revolution: Achievements, Obstacles and Research Needs for the Digital Transformation of Industry
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ISBN: 9783036596631Publication Date: 2023 -
Local Communities and the Mining Industry Economic Potential and Social and Environmental Responsibilities - Opens in a new window
ISBN: 9781003182375Publication Date: 2022 -
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Blockchain for Tourism and Hospitality Industries
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ISBN: 9781032399034Publication Date: 2023-12-07 -
Canadian Agriculture in the 21st Century - Opens in a new window
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Call Number: S133 .A53 2020ISBN: 9781525554858 -
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Media and entertainment industry management : how to integrate business and management with creativity and imagination
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ISBN: 9781003271222Publication Date: 2024
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Criterion on Demand This link opens in a new window
Educationally relevant feature films, from current hits to classic favourites, including films from major producers such as Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox. It includes films in English and French as well as with subtitles.
The license terms for this product stipulate that usage is for educational purposes only, and for individual access only (group viewing is not permitted). Please contact your library for more information. -
Films on Demand This link opens in a new window
Video clips on a variety of subject areas including art and architecture, environmental science, health and social sciences, technology and trades. The videos are copyright cleared for classroom use at Algonquin College.
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LinkedIn Learning This link opens in a new windowUp-to-date video tutorials on a wide range of skills such as software development, design, and business, and software such as Adobe Creative Cloud programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc), Microsoft Office, and WordPress. To create your account and learn about LinkedIn Learning, view the LinkedIn Learning Guide.
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Safari by O'Reilly This link opens in a new windowAn on-demand digital collection that delivers expert content in both book and video format with a focus on technology and business.
Databases:
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Business (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Broker research reports, trade publications, newspapers, journals and company directory listings. It includes subjects such as management, economics and politics.
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Career Cruising This link opens in a new window
*Not searchable in Page 1+. Search directly in database to access content.*
A resource to explore your interests, learn about career and education options, and look for jobs. -
IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
*Not searchable in Page 1+. Search directly in database to access content.*
Industry market research reports containing statistics and analysis on market characteristics, current and forecast performance, and major industry participants covering the US, Canada. -
Market Share Reporter This link opens in a new window
*Not searchable in Page 1+. Search directly in database to access content.*
New 34th edition is now available! Comparative business statistics. Entries feature data and market descriptions, and a list of producers/products along with their market share. -
ProQuest One Business This link opens in a new window
A complete business library containing millions of full-text items across scholarly and popular periodicals, newspapers, market research reports, dissertations, books, videos and more. Check out Proquest One Business Libguide for help using this database effectively.
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Statista This link opens in a new window
*Not searchable in Page 1+. Search directly in database to access content*
Provides coverage of consumer and market data covering more than 80,000 business-related topics from more than 22,500 sources in 170+ industries. Consumer Insights can be search independently by accessing it under the insights tab.
eCommerce Insights is its own product and is accessible from the main Statista platform under the Insights tab. Once you have linked out to the ecommerce product you should select the University Access button to reauthenticate before beginning your search. -
Statista eCommerce Insights This link opens in a new window*Not searchable in Page 1+. Search directly in database to access content*
Provides market analysis, lead research, competitive analysis, benchmarking. Statista eCommerce Insights requires you to select the University Access button to reauthenticate before beginning your search.
Journals:
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Airline Industry Informationtrade journal
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Airline Industry Informationtrade journal
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Automotive NewsTrade Journal
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Billboardtrade journal
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BooklistTrade journal
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Canadian Business Magazine - Opens in a new windowNews, opinion and community for business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors.
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The Economist - Opens in a new windowAuthoritative weekly newspaper focusing on international politics and business news and opinion
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Food Safety Magazinetrade journal
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Globe and Mail (Toronto edition)Coverage 01/01/1985 - present
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GrocerTrade Journal
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Journal of Business Research - Opens in a new windowApplies theory developed from business research to actual business situations.
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Machine Designtrade journal
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Popular MechanicsTrade Journal
Web Resources
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Canadian Industry Analysis - Opens in a new windowIndustry reports and data from Statistics Canada
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Canadian Industry Sectors by Category - Opens in a new windowFind your industry information by category.
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Canadian Industry Statistics - Opens in a new windowCanadian Industry Statistics (CIS) analyses industry data on many economic indicators using the most recent data from Statistics Canada. CIS looks at industry trends and financial information, such as GDP, Labour Productivity, Manufacturing and Trade data
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Canadian Trade Index - Opens in a new windowMacRAE'S. Industries Directory. Search for Industrial and manufacturing products and services
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Financial Performance DataFind the latest information about U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, including relief measures and support available to Canadian businesses.
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Industry sector intelligence - Opens in a new windowStatistics, market intelligence and business resources for each industry sector.
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Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Opens in a new windowFormerly Strategis - Find profiles on Canadian industries, including: sector overview, production, manufacturing costs, industry sales & revenues, employment, salaries & wages, leading companies, exports, regulation & standards, associations. copyrights and more.
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Labour Market Trends - Opens in a new windowFollowing labour market events is key to helping job seekers understand where the opportunities (short, medium and long-term) might be in a local community and elsewhere in the country.
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Search For a Federal Corporation - Opens in a new windowSearch the Industry Canada database by corporate name, corporation number, or business number (BN).
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SEDARThe system used for electronically filing most securities related information with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities
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Center for Disease ControlMedical Industry information
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County Business PatternsCounty Business Patterns (CBP) is an annual series that provides subnational economic data for establishments with paid employees by industry and employment size. This series includes the number of establishments, employment during the week of March 12, first quarter payroll, and annual payroll.
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EDGAREnter name, ticker or CIK into the single search field.
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Federal ReserveBoard economists conduct cutting edge research, produce numerous working papers, and are among the leading contributors at professional meetings and in major journals. Our economists also produce a wide variety of economic analyses and forecasts for the Board of Governors and the Federal Open Market Committee.
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Home Mortgage Disclosure ActBanking and housing industries - HMDA data are the most comprehensive source of publicly available information on the U.S. mortgage market. Learn more about mortgage activity from these data or download the data for your own analysis.
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Industry Outlook - Deloitte - Opens in a new windowKey trends, challenges, and opportunities that may impact your business and influence your strategy
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TechCrunch - Opens in a new windowThis online publisher of technology industry news primarily covers the business side of tech, reporting breaking tech news, bold opinions on new products, thorough analysis of emerging trends in tech.
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USA SpendingUS Government Contractors
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US Bureau of Labor StatisticsWorkplaces (establishments) are classified into industries based on their principal product or activity, as determined from information on annual sales volume. Two examples of industries are manufacturing and retail trade.
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US Geological SurveyMining industries
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US Industry and Economy Statistics - Opens in a new windowCensus Bureau economic surveys page - your resource for assistance with survey response and access to Census economic data.
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EIA Country Analysis Briefs - Opens in a new windowView Analysis by country for 46 countries
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GlobalEdge (MSU) - Opens in a new windowBusiness resource Desk, Country Insights and Industry Profiles
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Industry Sectors - Opens in a new windowEuropean Commission. Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
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International Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes - Opens in a new windowThe Standard Industrial Classification SIC is a system for classifying industries by a four-digit code, used by government agencies to classify industry areas.
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UK Business, industry and tradeActivities of businesses and industry in the UK, including data on the production and trade of goods and services, sales by retailers, characteristics of businesses, the construction and manufacturing sectors, and international trade.
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Yahoo Financefree stock quotes, up-to-date news, portfolio management resources, international market data, social interaction and mortgage etc..
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