Read Part 3
Read Part 4
A customer has entered the Reference department, spies the Ask Here desk, and makes their way over to ask you a question - a business reference question.
What do you do?
Exactly. Pretend like you didn't hear them, avoid eye contact and hope that they wander over to Fiction or something.
Unfortunately, they'll probably still be standing there when you finally look up again. And most likely, they will have asked you a question that roughly falls into one of four categories, known throughout the business reference industry as the Core Four.
The Core Four consists of
- Company Information
- Industry Information
- Investing/Financial Information
- Statistical/Consumer Information
Now I don't know about everyone else, but sometimes when I think about our business resources in reference, I get a little overwhelmed. Sure, there are only a few things in 658, but unfortunately the topic is spread around a bit more than that, covering several Dewey areas (338 - Economics - Production, 380s - Commerce and 658 - General Management). Knowing all of that and keeping the Core Four in mind, I set about to organize our resources* by type so that I could have a better understanding of what we have, what it's for and where it's located. And just maybe, you'll find this information helpful too.
1) "I need information on company x".
Of course, "company information" could mean many different things, but generally speaking, this is a request for basic information that is usually found in a profile - contact info., executives, overview, etc. - and can be found in most business directories.
Business Directories (International, National, State, Local & Chamber of Commerce)
International Directories
Business & Company Resource Center (Online Database) Contains thousands of company profiles (worldwide), global business intelligence reports and corporate parent/sibling relationships.
LexisNexis Library Express (Online Database) Covering 43 million companies, LexisNexis' Company Dossier and Company Profiles modules provide company information and customizable company lists.
Thomas Register (Web) Great for "who makes what" questions, especially when the company in question is a manufacturer or distributor. Covers the United States and Canada, and can be filtered by state/province.
Hoover's (Web) To get all of what Hoover's has to offer, you must be a subscriber. However, a good deal of company information can be gleaned from the free section too. Mostly national, but does contain international companies.
Hoover's Handbook of World Business (338.74025) Includes company profiles of over 300 of the most influential global enterprises.
International Directory of Company Histories (338.7409) Lots of worldwide companies are listed, giving detailed company information, including corporate history. This source is also included in the Business & Company Resource Center.
LexisNexis Corporate Affiliations (338.802573) Our copy is now dated, and its content should be covered in LexisNexis Library Express database; could be consulted if the electricity is out.
D & B Principal International Business (380.1025) This is "a world marketing directory presenting up-to-date information on approximately 50,000 leading enterprises throughout the world." Organized by geography, industry classification and alphabetically.
National Directories
Business & Company Resource Center (Online Database) See above section.
LexisNexis Library Express (Online Database)
Thomas Register (Web)
Hoover's (Web)
Hoover's Masterlist of US Companies (338) Like Corporate Affiliations listed above, this is a good source that unfortunately we own an older edition of. Includes both public and private companies, but until we can get an updated volume, try other sources.
Hoover's Handbook of Private Companies (338.7402573) Sometimes difficult to find, this volume contains information on private companies, mutuals and cooperatives, not-for-profits, joint ventures, partnerships, universities, government-owned corporations and other organizations (Texas Lottery Commission, etc.)
D & B Million Dollar Directory (338.740973) Contains information on top companies (public and private) meeting the following criteria: a) more than 180 employees at single location (900 if company is a branch); and b) greater than $9,000,000 in sales volume. The first 3 volumes are arranged by business name alphabetically, while the last two volumes are organized by geography and SIC codes.
D & B Directory of Service Companies (338.761) Focuses on companies that are specifically based in the service industry (as opposed to manufacturing), as defined by the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes 70-81, 83, 87 and 89.
LexisNexis Corporate Affiliations (338.802573) see section above.
S & P's Register of Corporations (339.058) Covers over 70,000 corporations, with an emphasis on personnel information, with the names and titles of over 400,000 executives and over 70,000 biographical sketches of upper management. Volume 1 is arranged alphabetically by company name, and Volume 2 contains an alphabetical listing of officers and executives by name. Also includes 6 indices.
American Wholesalers & Distributors Directory (381.2029473) Like D & B's Directory of Service Companies, this niche directory focuses on a segment of business, this time wholesalers and distributors. Includes small and large, public and private companies (nearly 29,000).
Headquarters USA (384.602573) Contains listings for over 113,000 businesses located in the U.S. Important note - sometimes toll-free numbers for companies are hard to come by, but this set contains over 45,000 listings with such numbers. Organized alphabetically by both name and subject.
Brands and Their Companies (602.750973) This is a great source when you're trying to find company information when you only have a brand or product name. For example, someone trying to "contact Kleenex" really needs to speak with someone at the Kimberly-Clark corporation. Over 350,000 consumer brands are included. The first volume contains the brands by alphabet, while companies are listed alphabetically in volume 2. ** The Business and Company Resource Center can also be used to search by product (advanced search).
Florida Directories
Florida Business Directory
Harris Florida Manufacturers Directory (338.00294759) One volume arranged by geography, SIC code, alphabetically by business name, by product and includes an all-in-one index. Companies listed alphabetically in the geographic section have a sequential number (G-xxxx) which is then used for cross-referencing in the other sections.
Jacksonville/Regional Directories
D & B Regional Business Directory (338.74025759) Includes company information for the Jacksonville/Orlando region. UPDATE - CANCELLED AS OF MARCH 2011
Other
World Chamber of Commerce Directory (381.06) As the name implies, if you're looking for a chamber of commerce somewhere on this planet, use this.
That's it for the first of the core four. Look for the next exciting installment soon.
*This is meant to be an overview - not an comprehensive survey of our collection - and a place to start your own review of business materials.
Read Part 2
Read Part 3
Read Part 4
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