Industry Research

Welcome to the subject guide for Industry Research.This guide describes 
databases  and search tools you can use to find information on Industry Research  topics at the duPont-Ball Library and online, as well as search tips and information regarding library services.

• Ask a Librarian
  • Call or text 386-747-9028 or email libref@Stetson.edu with any questions.
• Request a Research Consultation
  • Set up a one-on-one appointment with a librarian for personalized research assistance.

Since the 1930's the federal government has used SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes to organize industry data and documents into broad topical areas for data collection and reporting. In 1997 SIC codes were replaced with NAICS (North American Industry Classification System). The NAICS codes were developed jointly by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States to facilitate comparability of business statistics. When researching an industry the NAICS and SIC codes can be used to find industry analysis reports, statistics and market data. 

Several library databases provide industry code look-up functions which allow you to search the NAICS or SIC code descriptions by keyword and select codes from drop-down lists. 

Industry code searches enable you to:

• limit search results to a specific industry
• locate companies within an industry
• find industry overviews, analysis reports, statistics, forecasts and market trends

Industry codes also define broad topical areas such as a management function, a market, or an organization type. For example, the NAICS code 1300 covers international trade and foreign investment. Code 1500 covers energy and the environment.  In the "advanced search" feature of the ABI/INFORM business database, clicking on “Look up classification codes” will open a list of broad categories and nested sub-categories. Check boxes are provided to limit your search results to specific industries, markets or management functions.