Industry Information

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CONTENTS

• Background Information
• Articles
• Industry Classification Codes (SIC/NAIC)
• Ratios
• Web Resources

Background Information 

An industry is defined as the people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise. It is a basic category of business activity. The term industry is sometimes used to describe a very precise business activity (e.g. semiconductors) or a more generic business activity (e.g. consumer durables). If a company participates in multiple business activities, it is usually considered to be in the industry in which most of its revenues are derived.

North American businesses are classified for the purposes of statistical research. Economic units (people or companies) that use like processes to produce goods or services are grouped together. This "production-oriented" system means that statistical agencies in the United States will produce data that can be used for measuring productivity, unit labor costs, and the capital intensity of production; constructing input-output relationships; and estimating employment-output relationships and other such statistics that require that inputs and outputs be used together.

The United States has a new industry classification system. On April 9, 1997, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced its decision to adopt the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS pronounced Nakes) as the industry classification system used by the statistical agencies of the United States. NAICS replaced the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC).

Library Resources to Aid Industrial Research

• Standard & Poor's
  The "Industry Survey" component contains detailed full-text surveys of 52 designated industries. You'll find an industry profile, key industry ratios and statistics, industry trends, and much more. 

• Mergent Industry Review -- REF HG 4961 .M68
  Contains statistical information about companies. Organized by industry and updated biweekly. 

• Encyclopedia of American Industries (2 vols) -- REF HC102. E53 2001
  Contains an essay on every industry recognized by the SIC system. Arranged by SIC code.

• U.S. Industry Profiles: The Leading 100 -- REF DESK HC 106.82 .U6 1998
  Covers current status and predicted futures of 100 significant US industries. 

• US Industry & Trade Outlook -- REF DESK HC 101 .U543 2000
  Contains detailed statistics from the US Department of Commerce, including trends and forecast tables. Arranged by SIC code.

• WEFA Industrial Monitor -- REF HC 101 .W44 2001
  Reviews major US industries. Covers the last ten years and predicts the next ten years. 

• Handbook of North American Industry -- REF DESK HF 1746. H36 1999
  Covers the economics and industries of the US, Canada, and Mexico. Contains statistics and narrative analysis.

• Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries -- REF DESK HC 102 .E54 1999
  Profiles industries and businesses that have grown significantly in the recent past or are expected to grow significantly in the near future.

• Encyclopedia of Global Industries -- REF DESK HD 2324. E53 1999
  Industry articles analyze key companies and how the industry has integrated with the global economy.

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Articles

• Lexis Nexis Academic - Covers hundreds of US and international newspapers--articles are fulltext. Contains industry and market news from some designated industries.
  Tip: search both the "News" and "Business" components of LexisNexis--they contain different material. Try the link to "Industry & Markets" for news from over 25 industries.

• Wilson Business Abstracts - REF HF 5001.B87
  (1986-present) citations to articles covering all aspects of business and economics.

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Industry Classification Codes (SIC / NAIC) 

• To find the SIC Code for your industry or product, consult the Standard Industrial Classification Manual - REF HF 1041 .S77 1987. Or check out the website at http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/sicser.html.

• To find the NAIC code for your industry or product, consult the North American Industry Classification System - REF HF 1042 .N6 1997. Or check out the website at http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html.

• To convert SIC codes to NAIC codes (or vice versa) use http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naicstab.htm.

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Financial & Operating Ratios

• Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios -- REF HF5681.R25 I53
  Provides operating financial norms and key business ratios for 800+ lines of business. "The norms are the percentage that each item in the financial statement is of its respective aggregate total: from this, an industry average has been calculated. These data facilitate comparing a specific business firm with its industry counterparts (norms). Also reports 14 key business ratios for each industry, which indicate solvency, efficiency, and profitability." 

• Standard and Poor's Industry Surveys

Web Resources