1. Instructor: Karen Robson
Business Information Sources
For
Principles of Marketing MKTG-1310 Winter 2019
Instructor: Karen Robson

2. Introduction
I’ve tried to put together some resources that will help you with your reports. If you need further help, please contact me: Katharine Ball at (519) , ext or
Some of the resources are freely available on the web. Others are Leddy Library ( subscriptions and so, if you are off-campus, you will need to sign on with your University of Windsor ID and password.
You can get back to all the business databases and guides on the Business Administration page (

3. Focal Company, Competitor Companies, & Intracompany
Economic Outlook &
Business Climate I
Industry & Market
Focal Company, Competitor Companies, & Intracompany

4. Company Information
For a comprehensive listing:
Canadian Company Information
From the company’s viewpoint:
The company website is the obvious place to start. For public companies, look for headings such as Investor Relations, Corporate Governance, Company Profile. You should find the annual and quarterly reports, financial statements, and information on their history, philosophy, operations, products/services, etc.
SEDAR Covers publicly traded companies. Contains annual reports, annual information statements, md&a reports, interim statements, and other financial documents. It often supplements information on company websites; filings are up-to-date; began in 1997, so there is a 20 year archive. EDGAR ( is the American equivalent.

5. Company Information From an outside viewpoint:
Business Source Complete and ProQuest Business
and
Type the name of your company in the search box. Limit by date, if appropriate. You will find articles about your company and company profiles for larger companies.
Thomson One
use the Internet Explorer browser; detailed company information, including analysts' research reports; also information on corporate governance, financial data, deals, share ownership, and officers and directors.

6. Industry and Market Research Reports
For a comprehensive listing:
North American Industry Information (
Some of the more popular databases are:
IBISWorld
Canadian, U.S. focused; covers many goods and services; manufacturing, wholesaling, and retail
Global Market Information Database (GMID): Passport
Many countries; consumer goods and services focused
MarketResearch.com Academic
U.S./globally focused; covers many goods and services

7. General Business Environment and Economic Outlook
Conference Board of Canada E-Library
This is one of the best sources for information on the business climate and economic conditions.
Browse by Topic and look under Economic Trends.
Reports are available for Canada, the provinces, and all major Canadian cities, including Windsor (search: Windsor metropolitan outlook)
There are also reports for the United States, Europe, and Asia.
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Some other free sources of Canadian economic information include the Bank of Canada (Business Outlook Survey: Statistics Canada, and the chartered banks.
For all countries, look at the Economist Intelligence Unit (
The Country Commerce reports are particularly useful.