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BCOM 214: Fundamentals of Business Communication

Research Assignment

For your informative industry report assignment, you may need to gather information pertaining to an industry's...

historical background, context
competitive landscape - top competitors, ease/difficulty of entry
consumers - target market, buying habits, demographics, consumer behavior
trends, forecasts
financial data

Use this guide as a starting point for research strategies and reliable information and data sources.

Start with the Industry Research page to the left.

Outlining and Planning Resources

Mind Mapping Tool
Start with your main topic in the center, then build on it by exploring sub-topics and brainstorming synonyms and related terms.
Industry and Market Research (article)
Brief article from bplans.com on potential areas to include in industry and market analyses, as well as tips on how to get started.

Reference materials

The AMA Dictionary of Business and Management
Covers more than 6,000 key business terms.
The Routledge Dictionary of Business Management
Covers the topics, issues, and terms in the field of business management.
Dictionary of Economics and Business (English-Spanish / Spanish-English)
Includes over 23,000 entries. Features bilingual appendices.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Business, Labor, and Economic History
Explores the concepts, institutions/organizations, events, and individuals that have shaped the history of economics, business, and labor.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual 2022
Publication Date: 2022
NAICS is the classification system used to describe and delineate U.S. industries by sector. Industry codes are useful to know when researching a specific industry, market, or company. NAICS is used by federal agencies (Bureau of Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Securities and Exchange Commission, etc.) to gather, analyze, and report industry statistics.