LibGuides: MGT-301: Managing Organizations: External Environment

Basic Definitions

Basic Definitions

See the entry for SWOT analysis, where it discusses the concept of opportunities and threats.
See the entry on Porter's Five Forces in the Encyclopedia of Management.
See the entry on what is an Industry Analysis in the Encyclopedia of Small Business.

Key Databases

Use these library databases first to get started on your company research.

ABI-Inform
The premier business periodical database. Use it to find articles on your company from BusinessWeek, Forbes, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, etc.
Business and Industry
Has a strong global focus on company, product and industry information. Provides valuable facts, figures and trends.
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By appointment only.

Datamonitor Company Reports This link opens in a new window
Over 4400 company and Industry reports covering the U.S. and foreign countries.These reports provide a wealth of information, including a company overview, history, products & services analysis, SWOT analysis, current news, etc. These reports are available via EBSCO's Business Source Premier database.
NetLibrary (Ebsco eBook Collection) This link opens in a new window
The Ebsco eBook Collection offers a number of in-browser readable (or downloadable, via Adobe Digital Editions) ebooks with additional features such as a dictionary, index, and easy keyword searchability. Currently nearly 60,000 e-books are available covering most major subjects.

Researching the Firm's External Environment

ABI-Inform
The premier business periodical database. Use it to find articles on your company from BusinessWeek, Forbes, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, etc.

Datamonitor Company Reports This link opens in a new window
Over 4400 company and Industry reports covering the U.S. and foreign countries.These reports provide a wealth of information, including a company overview, history, products & services analysis, SWOT analysis, current news, etc. These reports are available via EBSCO's Business Source Premier database.

The Economist
The economy is a significant external factor, and the Economist historically has done a great job covering it. Type in your company name in the box under "Search for articles within this publication:" to identify articles on your company related to the global economy .

Finding Industry Information

Research on your company's industry will give much insight to the major external factors being faced by your company. Below are sources of industry reports available online through the library.

Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new window
Business & Company Resource Center provides company and industry intelligence on thousands of global companies. It includes periodical articles, news articles, and press releases; investment reports; corporate chronologies and company histories; brands and product information; industry and company rankings; financial overviews; industry overviews; and HR law case digests. Searches can be done on company name or ticker symbol, industry code/description (SIC or NAICS), subjects in article, geographic search, or personal name.

First Research Industry Profiles
From ABI/Inform, search "Within Publication", or Browse by Date.

Web Sites

America's Career InfoNet
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Has a “Labor Market Information Center.” Explore Current Wages and Occupational Trends, Search for Detailed Wages, Research Detailed Occupational Trends.

Try these free web resources to supplement the library databases.

BLS: U.S. Economy at a Glance
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Data includes unemployment rate, hourly earnings, consumer price index, and productivity.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
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A great place to start for general information on starting a small business, finance, planning, marketing, etc.
CasePlace.org
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Find hundreds of business case studies and supporting materials.

County Business Patterns (Census) This link opens in a new window
CBP is an annual series that provides subnational economic data by industry. Most of the country's economic activity is covered in this series, with the exclusion of self-employed persons, domestic service workers, railroad employees, agricultural production workers, most government employees, and employees on ocean-borne vessels or in foreign countries.

EPI DataZone
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Current labor market, family income, price, wage, GDP, foreign trade, and federal deficit data.
Finding Company Specific Polices and Practices
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A guide from Cornell University.
Labor & Employment Resources on the Web
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From the University of Michigan Documents and Information Center.
Open Secrets
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An exec's political affiliation can often be telling. Here you can search for contributions by personal name and employer.