Research Guides: BA 6330: Customer Engagement: Audit Assignment

Company & Industry Resources

Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Access to Hoover's private and public U.S. and international companies information including basic financials, family trees, and Company Brief for current news.
Also see First Research industry profiles for competitors, issues, trends, and opportunities.

To access First Research industry reports, click on First Research below the main search box and then, the orange Submit button on the left side of the page.
View the Company Searching tutorial for more insights.
Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
Access detailed company financial information.

Most data can be exported to Excel. Full company reports and tear sheets are printable in PDF format. View the Finding Financials tutorial for more insights.

General Company Research Guide
Try other databases to find more information about your company. Note tabs for Private Companies and Non-Profits.

Statista This link opens in a new window
Select Company DB at the top or Reports, then Brands and Companies for dossiers and company info.

View the Finding Data tutorial for more insights.

Broad Trend Resources

Connect This link opens in a new window
International business intelligence database analyzing political, economic, legal, tax, operational and security risk ratings. Obtain advanced forecasts and current ratings analysis at global, regional or country-specific levels.
Tip: Mouse over Geography and select your country. Then, click on View Full Report to see the Country Risk report.

View the Economic Research tutorial for more insights.

Pew Research Center
"Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research."

Library Search This link opens in a new window
Articles, books, & media among SMU Libraries' collections & databases

Consumer Research Resources

Mintel Reports This link opens in a new window
Business-to-consumer focused market research reports. Find reports covering consumer packaged goods and the finance industry. Lifestyle Reports cover psychographic findings for a wide variety of demographic groups. Mintel reports are mainly US focused.

Restricted to only current SMU students, faculty & staff.
View the Market Research tutorial for more insights.
Passport This link opens in a new window
International business intelligence on industries, countries, & consumers

Restricted to only current SMU students, faculty & staff.
View the Market Research tutorial for more insights.
Forrester Research This link opens in a new window
Information technology market research

Restricted to only current SMU students, faculty & staff.
Statista This link opens in a new window
Select Reports, then Consumer Reports at the top. Use the filters on the left for country and industry.

View the Finding Data tutorial for more insights.

Sample APA Citations

These citations are based on APA 7th edition but have been modified to meet the requirements of SMU Cox School of Business instructors. Check with your professor regarding the appropriate citation style for your course.

The following is an example of references on a reference page for the type of articles you will be using for this assignment. Examples of in-text references can be found in Citing Business Sources.

References

Barber, N., & Jacobs, I. (2018, March 2). Personalized video creates better customer service experiences. Retrieved from Forrester Research database

Bloom, B. (2020, April). Salty Snacks – US-April 2020. Retrieved from Mintel database

Clarence-Smith, L. and Knowles, T. (2020, June 6). Elon Musk ‘considers Bristol for new Tesla factory’. Times Newspapers Limited. Retrieved from Factiva database

Euromonitor International. (2020). Hot drinks global industry overview. Retrieved from Passport database

FTSE Russell. (2020). Verizon Communications, Inc. [Competitors list]. Retrieved from Mergent Intellect database

FTSE Russell. (2020). Wireless Telecommunications Services. [Industry profile]. First Research. Retrieved from Mergent Intellect database

Hughes, J. & Ertel, D. (2020, July/August). What is your negotiation strategy? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database

IHS Markit. (2020) Executive Summary - United States. [Country Risk]. IHS Connect. Retrieved from Connect database.

Pew Research Center. (2019, October 7). In their own words: Behind Americans' views of 'Socialism' and 'Capitalism'. Retrieved from pewresearch.org

PrivCo Media, LLC. (2020). Mary Kay overview. Retrieved from PrivCo database.

Waters, R. (2017, July 10). Google seeks to make artificial intelligence more people‐friendly. FT.com. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database

Why Do I Need This Guide?

You will be doing a Customer Engagement Audit which requires you to find background information on your company and its competition and/or industry. Then you will consider broad economic, legal, environmental and political trends as they affect your business. You will also need to find research on consumers (Millennials and GenZ) and consider the role of digital marketing. This research guide will direct you toward potential sources to ensure success.

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The one-hour, hands on Demographic & Consumer Research workshop focuses on resources that provide demographic and psychographic data.

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