Overview - BA 6336 - Developing a Business Plan - Research Guides at Southern Methodist University

Company Resources

Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Search for a company in your chosen industry to compare, find the NAICS and gain insight.
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.
PrivCo This link opens in a new window
Search for privately-held and smaller companies, as well as find funding information on them.
Frequent users will want to create an academic account using your SMU email address.
IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
Search the company benchmark reports to see how your company performs in the industry, market share, competitor matrix and more.
View the Industry Research tutorial for more insights.

Social Media
Search for small or privately held companies on LinkedIn and other social media sites.

Industry Resources

Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
After searching your company, select Industry Details to download a First Research Industry Report to learn trends and challenges.
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.
IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
Enter the NAICS code or industry description for an in-depth industry report to learn key trends, product segmentation and market share.
View the Industry Research tutorial for more insights.

Associations

Contact associations with your SMU email address about your class project and potentially receive free industry information.

Market Research Resources

Mintel Reports This link opens in a new window
Search using the category pulldown for market size, forecast and consumer information. Use the Demographics pulldown to find lifestyle and marketing reports. Download the Excel databook for more statistics.
Restricted to only current SMU students, faculty & staff.
View the Market Research tutorial for more insights.
Statista This link opens in a new window
Search for your market or industry to find relevant statistics and data. Note the source link on the right to link to more information.
View the Finding Data tutorial for more insights.
Passport This link opens in a new window
Select Consumers link at the top, then Analysis on the left for market reports by country. Select Industries to find global consumer industry and B2B reports. Find current and forecast economic outlook by country in the Economies link.
Restricted to only current SMU students, faculty & staff.
View the Market Research tutorial for more insights.

Demographic/Psychographic Resources

Simmons Catalyst This link opens in a new window
Choose a 12-month study at the top. Enter item or brand in the search box and select Column on the right. Use the dictionary under the All dropdown to choose demographic needed and select Row on the right. Select the arrow to run.
View the Simmons Catalyst Training Research Guide for more insights. Simultaneous users permitted: 35
SimplyAnalytics This link opens in a new window
U.S. mapping & data visualization application
Restricted to only current SMU students, faculty & staff. To create an account, click on "create an account" and enter your SMU e-mail address and a password. Also, only 5 users can use this resource concurrently. Please log out when done using this resource.
Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Scroll down to choose Demographics and get reports by zip code or other location in pdf or Excel format.
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.

Data.Census.gov
Use Advanced Search to select Topics (gender, age, marital status) and Geography (metropolitan statistical area or other location). Download into Excel or text file.

More Resources

Statista This link opens in a new window
Search for your industry or market for up-to-date data and charts. Follow the linked source for more data.
View the Finding Data tutorial for more insights.
Library Search - Advanced This link opens in a new window
Enter your industry, market or other research terms in the boxes to search SMU's resources, and narrow results with the filters on the left .
PitchBook This link opens in a new window
Search or screen for companies with venture capital, private equity or M&A activity. Find trends and industry data.
Restricted to only current SMU students, faculty & staff. Mobile not included. Downloads limited to 10 records per day/25 records per month. Record typically defined as a single row of data in a spreadsheet.

Why Do I Need This Guide?

To create a business plan you will need to include data on the industry, competitors and potential customers. This research guide will direct you toward potential sources to ensure success.

Business Plan Template

BA 6336 Library Resources Presentation

Library Resources Presentation
PDF version of the Powerpoint presentation on Business Library resources
Opportunity Evaluation Worksheet
This worksheet provides guidance in finding useful information for your business plan such as industry trends, market research, and demographics.

Related Guides

Further Your Skills with Workshops

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

Business Research Workshops

Need a different time? If you have a group of 4 or more, we can add a session for you. Request a workshop.

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BA 6336 - Developing a Business Plan: Overview