Marketing Environment: Key Library Resources

Purpose: Library databases enable you to understand macro and micro forces, research effectively, and differentiate yourself as a student of your industry.
Janet Reed: School of Business Librarian who helps you navigate resources and build research skills; available for class and Zoom assistance; contact information via email or library chat.

Mintel — full-text market research reports on US and global consumer markets.
Business Source Complete — full-text magazines, trade publications, and reports.
IBISWorld — industry market research reports for US industries.
Mergent Online — detailed business and financial information on US and international public companies.

Access: sign in to the library, then open Mintel.
Search: e.g., query a topic like $mobile exts$ ; look at report contents: market, consumer, brand, data.
Use: read the report sections to locate relevant insights; report contents are navigable by section.
Tip: Mintel reports help identify macro trends and market specifics quickly.

Access: open Business Source Complete from the library.
Search: e.g., Delta Air Lines AND text messaging; use the Title field for a focused result, or All Text for broader results.
Result handling: open the article; print or email; generate APA citation (copy/paste into your document).
Tip: refine searches using available fields to target exact phrasing.

Access: open IBISWorld from the library.
Search: e.g., distilleries (US) to retrieve industry reports.
Key sections: Industry at a Glance, Industry Outlook, major companies with market shares, and brands.
PDF: print the PDF to gauge report length; for example, a distilleries report may be $43$ pages long.
Tip: top of the page confirms the industry definition before diving in.

Access: open Mergent Online from the library.
Search: by company name (e.g., Amazon.com Inc).
What you’ll see: company overview, key executives, and extensive financials.
Financial data: view on an annual or quarterly basis; up to $15$ years of data in one place; you can view $5$ , $7$ , $10$ , or all $15$ years.
Reports: access 10-K/annual reports for strategic goals and plans.
News: current events related to the company; competitors listed with links.

Access: library homepage -> Research Guides -> Marketing Research Guide (under Business).
Marketing Research Guide highlights the four databases: Mintel, Business Source Complete, IBISWorld, and Mergent Online, in one convenient spot.
Use this guide to save time and have centralized access to the key tools.

Contact Janet Reed via email for personalized assistance or to set up a Zoom session.
Use the library’s Ask Us chat (Mon–Fri) for quick help.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to get guidance on database search strategies and citation best practices.