Take time to research different companies before choosing one for your assignment. Don't assume that Google or even our databases contain all of the information sources you need to research a complete company profile! If you choose to research a private company (especially a smaller company) you MUST allocate extra time to research before you begin working on your assignment.
Learn how the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines a public company here
Look up the company name in the SEC's EDGAR database-- all companies required to file with the SEC are represented here
Googling, "Is [Company Name] a public company?" is a quick, generally reliable way to check the status of large companies, but be sure to fact-check any "featured snippets" or the AI Overview, as these occasionally misinterpret or take information out of context
Where do I find information about a company's mission, values, and vision?
What does the company say about itself? Start with the company's website and social media marketing. Read news and interviews with key figures! Make the most out of the library's subscriptions to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post by registering for a free account (scroll down to "Resources by Type" on the Library home page).
Improve your news searches by using Google site search with the domains nyt.com, wsj.com, and washingtonpost.com (ex. "Coca Cola site:nyt.com")
Where do I find information about a company's organizational culture & strategic initiatives?
Start with the databases listed in the "Home" tab! Specifically, the databases described as "best for" company profiles. These are paid subscriptions that will give you more comprehensive, higher-quality information than a Google search
For public companies, the SEC's EDGAR database is the best place to find 10-K filings
If your company research requires creating a SWOT and/or PESTLE analysis, you are expected to gather enough information about a company to make that analysis yourself. Looking at an existing SWOT/PESTLE might be helpful, but someone else's SWOT/PESTLE is not a substitute for your own.
If you need a refresher on the definition of SWOT & PESTLE, remember that you have continued access to your completed courses in Canvas! You can continue to access your BUS course text and readings
You can also search "SWOT" and/or "PESTLE" in our encyclopedia database, Credo
Search the databases in the "Home" tab with keywords like: "strengths of [company]", "threats to [company]", etc. to find scholarly sources, news articles, or trade magazine articles instead of searching for a pre-existing SWOT (Google often returns "SWOT" results that are out of date or of poor quality)
The best information for a PESTLE analysis can be found in the "Markets" tab on this guide
Google has made it easy for anyone to find secondary sources. In business research, however, it is important to find and use primary sources of information. Primary sources are information about a company, from the company itself.
Find PRIMARY sources:
Find SECONDARY sources:
Remember! The type of source (article, report, interview) does not determine whether that source is primary or secondary. When in doubt, ask yourself: Who or where is this information is coming from?
