Top Business Research Resources
The databases and resources below are some of our most popular and comprehensive for company and industry related research. Please explore the resources contained in this guide and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
- Business Source CompleteBusiness Source Complete provides full text for scholarly business journals and other sources, including full text for more than 1,800 peer-reviewed business publications. Coverage includes virtually all subject areas related to business. This database provides full text (PDF) for top scholarly journals, including the Harvard Business Review. It also includes industry and country reports from Euromonitor and company and industry reports from Datamonitor.
To find SWOTs in Business Source Complete: Search for a Company name in the first search box, and "SWOT" or "Company Profile" in the second search box. - ABI/InformABI/Inform, an extensive international business and management database, contains bibliographic citations, abstracts, and full text of articles appearing in professional publications, academic journals, and trade magazines published worldwide. ABI/Inform covers the areas of accounting, banking, computers, economics, engineering management, communications, finance, health care, human resources, insurance, international trends, law, management, marketing, public administration, real estate, taxation, transportation.
- Mergent IntellectMergent Intellect is a highly flexible web-based application that features a deep collection of worldwide business information that enables companies to generate insightful business intelligence. Coupling Mergent's expertise in developing products for the reference marketplace with D&B's private company database, Mergent Intellect offers new and existing clients a unique opportunity to access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, facts and figures, executive contact information, the ability to access industry profiles and much more.
Mergent Intellect also provides access to First Research Industry Profiles. These reports contain critical analysis, statistics and forecasts, covering over 1000 industry segments. Updated on a monthly basis. - OrbisNOTE: The library's subscription to Orbis will end permanently on June 30, 2025. Orbis provides access to company information and financial data for more than 275 million companies worldwide. Users can screen for companies based on geography, financial performance, industry, deals, ownership structure, number of employees, year of incorporation, and other criteria. Orbis is an excellent source for private company information, especially in international markets.
- PitchBookSearch thousands of private equity and venture capital deals by hundreds of criteria. Use PitchBook to establish benchmarks, find real time data on deals, identify and analyze comparables, and search investor details. Users must create an account using your Cornell email address. Log in > Log in with SSO > [Cornell email address].
- MSCI ESG DirectA comprehensive research database, measuring the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of corporations. The web-based database contains ESG and controversial business involvement research on more than 4,000 companies in 50+ global markets. The database provides over 200 ESG indicators and over 2,000 ESG points. It provides continuous global coverage for involvement in controversial lines of business, such as nuclear power, tobacco, and weapons. Previously known as ESG Manager on Campus.
- IBISWorldIBISWorld provides industry research reports and profiles for over 700 United States industries as well as a wide range of industries in China. Business reports for five categories: industry market research, industry risk ratings, company research, global industry research, and economic and demographic data. Each report provides key statistics, market characteristics and segmentation, industry conditions, leading competitors, industry performance analysis and future outlook.
- Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly Reference USA)Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly Reference USA) is an extensive source of company profiles that includes records for public and private companies in the United States and Canada. Company data is frequently updated and phone verified. Some historical company data is available back through the mid-1990's. There are also U.S. and Canadian White Pages, data about U.S. Consumers, data about U.S. physicians and dentists, and data about U.S. jobs and internships.
- Nexis UniAn interdisciplinary, full-text database of over 18,000 sources including newspapers, journals, wire services, newsletters, company reports and SEC filings, case law, government documents, transcripts of broadcasts, and selected reference works. Formerly LexisNexis Academic.
- Capital IQCapital IQ includes industry surveys (trends, operations, industry specific information on analyzing companies it that space, and ratios) and high-level overviews of industries, financial markets, and regional economies. Ideal for researching companies (both public and private), deals (M&A and security issuance), and private equity and venture capital deals.
- FactivaFull-text online service for international news and business information. Covers over 28,000 sources in 23 languages in more than 150 countries. Some company and market research is included. Factiva includes full-text coverage of the Wall Street Journal.
- Gale Business: InsightsExtensive reference content from Gale's core business collection; easy-to-use company fundamentals and investment research reports; industry rankings, profiles, market share data, company histories, and more.
- WorkspaceWorkspace (from Refinitiv) is a financial research platform that provides company financials, market data, transaction data, and analyst reports (Aftermarket Research). Students, faculty, and staff will need to register for an account using a Cornell email address.
Finding SWOT Analyses
To access SWOT analyses:
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Go to Business Source Complete.
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Type the name of the company you are interested in, followed by SWOT, in the search box. For instance, "Dell SWOT" (no quotes)
Company News
Learn about recent events affecting the company and the industry. Perhaps they recently hired new top executives or they were affected by industry or market changes.
- FactivaFull-text online service for international news and business information. Covers over 28,000 sources in 23 languages in more than 150 countries. Some company and market research is included. Factiva includes full-text coverage of the Wall Street Journal.
- Business Source PremierFind full-text articles from trade journals and business magazines as well as company profiles (Including SWOT analysis) and industry reports.
- Lexis+ (Lexis Plus)ILR School only.
Full version of LexisNexis. Available only by creating username and password after training by Catherwood staff. Formerly Lexis Advance.
- Nexis UniProvides access to full text resources on topics including current and general news; business and financial information; newspapers; company directories; government and politics; medical and health topics; accounting, auditing, and tax; federal and state laws; legal cases; and regulations. Resources include TV and radio news transcripts.
- ProQuestFind full-text articles from trade journals, newspapers, and business magazines.
Company Financials
In addition to the resources below, you will want to search the internet for certain company information. Very important are the company's annual reports and 10-K or 10-Q and 8-K if available. These can usually be found by going to the company's web site and finding a link to "Investor Relations".
- OrbisNOTE: The library's subscription to Orbis will end permanently on June 30, 2025. Orbis provides access to company information and financial data for more than 275 million companies worldwide. Users can screen for companies based on geography, financial performance, industry, deals, ownership structure, number of employees, year of incorporation, and other criteria. Orbis is an excellent source for private company information, especially in international markets.
- Lexis Advance (ILR Menu)Full version of Lexis Nexis. Available only by creating username and password after training by Catherwood Staff. Choose the 'News and Business' tab, and then 'U.S. Public Company Reports' or 'U.S. Private Company Reports'.
- Edgar (SEC)All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Here you'll find links to a complete list of filings available through EDGAR and instructions for searching the EDGAR database. Filings cover 1996-present.
- BloombergGeneral business and world news
Environmental, Social, and Governance Profiles
- MSCI ESG DirectA comprehensive research database, measuring the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of corporations. The web-based database contains ESG and controversial business involvement research on more than 4,000 companies in 50+ global markets. The database provides over 200 ESG indicators and over 2,000 ESG points. It provides continuous global coverage for involvement in controversial lines of business, such as nuclear power, tobacco, and weapons. Previously known as ESG Manager on Campus.