Research Guides: Company and Industry Research: Small Business

Business Planning, Demographics

BizStats
Use this free search mechanism to create a custom industry Profit & Loss benchmark, by selecting a company structure and inputting sales information.

Here are web sites and library E-books & databases meant to help in discovering the attractiveness and timeliness of starting a business in a specific industry and market.

Business Plans & Profiles Index
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh maintains this index, which lists types of small businesses and a corresponding sample business plan, profile or book about the business with sources provided after each entry.

Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
This database provides full-text coverage of top business, management and economics journals and periodicals. These valuable publications cover topics such as accounting, banking, finance, international business, marketing, sales and more.

City-Data
This very informative demographics web site has collected and analyzed data from numerous sources to create as complete and interesting profiles of most U.S. cities.
County/Metro/Zip Code Business Patterns
The U.S. Census' "Business Patterns" product is an annual series that provides sub-national economic data by industry. Use this information to analyze the market potential, including number of competitors, for a particular geographic area.

New York Times This link opens in a new window
Full-text access from 1980 to present.

Quickfacts
A very quick way to access census bureau data, including population, median household income, census breakdowns by age, and other demographic characteristics.
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
For the most recent and thorough analysis of an industry, one must still make the trek to the Library. Go to the Reference stacks, and find the S&P Industry Surveys: REF HC106.6 .S74.
Trade and Professional Associations
Trade associations may be contacted to obtain information on all areas of feasibility of entrepreneurship.

Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition) This link opens in a new window
Considered to be the preeminent publication for business news and information on financial markets worldwide. Full-text access for 1984 to present.

Yahoo! Industry Center
Provides a directory of industries, along with a list of the companies in each industry, the latest industry news, and performance data on the top companies in an industry.

State, Local & Federal Information Websites

The Northern Illinois Business & Industry Data Center
Maintained by the NIU Center for Governmental Studies, this database provides a library of statistical data specific to northern Illinois. In the process of redesign - January 2015.
U.S. Small Business Administration
An independent agency of the federal government formulated to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.
State of Illinois Business Portal
Starting a Business: information from across state government to help you get your business up and running.
IL Dept. of Revenue -Info for Biz
Information on setting up a business in Illinois, including registration and filing tax returns.
American Factfinder
An easy-to-use portal for obtaining census data. Try using the "Fact Sheet" search generator to find information on population, household income, and demographics for a geographic area that you specify.
Bureau of Economic Analysis - Regional Economic Accounts
The BEA Regional Economic Accounts provide statistics for Gross Domestic Product & Personal Income for states and metropolitan areas. Try "BearFacts" to locate trends in local economic areas.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
The authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
2010 Census
The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. National and state population totals from the 2010 Census were released on December 21, 2010. Redistricting data, which include additional state, county and local counts, will be released starting in February 2011.
Encyclopedia of Chicago
The Encyclopedia of Chicago is a dynamic and unprecedented metropolitan history. Thousands of historical resources-including articles, photos, maps, broadsides and newspapers-related to Chicago's colorful and complex history are at your fingertips.

Foundations & Think Tanks

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
The largest and longest-standing globally focused entrepreneurship research project. Researchers from Babson College, the London Business School, and a university team for each participating country, explore the role of entrepreneurship in national economic growth.
National Federation of Independent Business
The NFIB "Small Business Economic Trends" monthly survey data features the 'Index of Small Business Optimism'.
Batten Institute
Located at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, the Batten Institute is "dedicated to the creation of knowledge about the transformative power of entrepreneurship and innovation and to the cultivation of principled, entrepreneurial leaders."
Kauffman Foundation
Mission: To help individuals attain economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success, consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.
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Vision: A society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities.
National Venture Capital Association
NVCA's mission is to foster greater understanding of the importance of venture capital to the U.S. economy, and support entrepreneurial activity and innovation.

Evaluating Websites

RU's Very Own Evaluating Web Sources Guide

Patents, Trademarks, etc.

Trademarkia
Search all U.S. trademarks registered since 1870, for free
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Trademarkia is one of the largest trademark search engines in the world. Each month hundreds of trademarks around the world are filed by licensed attorneys in the Trademarkia network.
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
The USPTO is the Federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks.
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In doing this, the USPTO fulfills the mandate of Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, of the Constitution that the Executive branch "promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries."