How to do research in Business
Library resources for researchers working on business-related topics such as industry, company, or financial markets research.
START WITH GOOD KEYWORDS
Topic-specific keywords will help improve your results in a general multidisciplinary database like ABI/ProQuest, Google Scholar, HOLLIS, or Business Source Complete.
Add keywords like these to your search:
- Industry keywords – automotive, food, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods
- Company names – Apple, Inc., Amazon.com, Inc., Procter & Gamble Co.
- Financial terms – stock prices, mergers and acquisitions, equities, fixed income, distressed debt
UPGRADE YOUR SEARCH: KEY DATABASES
The best tool for your project may be a specialized search engine, also known as a database. These databases are subject-specific or format-specific search tools:
Industry and market data
Statista (via HarvardKey) -- A statistics-focused database that integrates thousands of data points across diverse topics from a wide range of sources onto a single platform.
IBISWorld (via HarvardKey) – A database of research reports on a variety of industries. Geographic coverage includes the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China and a limited number of global reports.
Company research
Capital IQ (individual accounts) – A database with in-depth financials, filings and transaction data for public and some private companies; includes a powerful entity screening tool for creating target lists.
Dig Deeper
Baker Library’s research Help Center provides targeted guidance on company and industry research, as well as other business-related topics.
Databases for Business and Management- explore the full list of Harvard Library databases in this subject category.
CONNECT WITH US
Business research librarians are available to meet with and answer questions from all Harvard affiliates. The best way to reach us is through the “Ask Us” page at Harvard Business School’s Baker Library.
Service Alert:
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- your Harvard affiliation
- the project you'd like help with
- whether it's for a particular class, faculty member or department
Chat
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Chat is intended for brief inquiries from the Harvard community.
Reach out to librarians and other reference specialists by email using our online form. We usually respond within 24 hours Monday through Friday.
Meet
Talk to a librarian for advice on defining your topic, developing your research strategy, and locating and using sources. Make an appointment now.
These services are intended primarily for Harvard University faculty, staff and students. If you are not affiliated with Harvard, please use these services only to request information about the Library and its collections.