Meet our Peer Research Advisers
How to Use This Guide
This guide suggests resources that will be useful in developing your team's business plan.
Whether you are evaluating potential business ideas, gathering information for exhibits, or organizing and citing your sources, this guide can help.
We recommend all teams begin by reviewing the Starting Your Research page. Then use the menu to explore the guide's other pages to find relevant library databases and other credible sites that can inform your research strategy in each COB 300 discipline.
Feeling overwhelmed? Book a consultation with one of our Peer Research Advisers. They've successfully completed COB 300 themselves and can help your team take advantage of JMU Libraries' business information, making your plan that much better!
Connecting to JMU Libraries Databases from Off-campus
JMU students, faculty & staff can use electronic resources from off-campus via one of these methods.
Recommended Databases
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BizMiner This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Industry financial benchmarks on more than 16,000 lines of business in national and local markets.
Dates covered: Most recent 5 years
Business plan applications: Finance & Marketing -
Business Source Complete This link opens in a new windowContent types: Peer-reviewed journals, industry and market research reports, magazines, news sources, SWOTS
Dates covered: 1922-present
Business plan applications: Operations & Supply Chain Management & Marketing
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Data Axle Reference Solutions This link opens in a new windowContent types: Directory of U.S. businesses searchable by NAICS code and/or geography (U.S. City, State, Zip code) .
Dates covered: Current
Business plan applications: Marketing & Finance
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IBISWorld This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Analyst reports with forecasts and key statistics on more than 700 U.S. industries.
Dates covered: Current
Business plan applications: Finance, Marketing, and Operations & Supply Chain Management -
Insider Intelligence This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Market data, statistics, and analyst reports on the Internet, e-business, digital marketing, media, and emerging technologies.
Dates covered: Current
Business plan applications: Marketing
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Mintel Academic This link opens in a new windowContent types: Market research reports, data and forecasting for consumer industries in the U.S.
Dates covered: Current
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O*NET OnLineContent type(s): The primary source for occupational information in the United States. Provides specific descriptions about more than 1,000 occupations, including duties, skills, and wages.
Dates covered: Varies
Business plan applications: Management
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PrivCo This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Business and financial research on non-publicly traded companies, including family-owned, private equity-owned, venture-backed, and international unlisted companies.
Note: Users will need to register for an academic account using their JMU email address
Dates covered: Current. Limited historical data.
Business plan applications: Finance -
ProcurementIQ This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Analyst reports that assist with buying decisions in supply chains and sourcing.
Dates covered: Current
Business plan applications: Operations & Supply Chain Management and Marketing -
ProQuest SciTech Collection This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Scholarly articles, trade journals, and dissertations on science and technology topics. Useful for learning about materials or processes for manufacturing your product
Dates covered: 1693-present
Business plan applications: Operations & Supply Chain Management
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Statista This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Statistics, charts, and dossiers covering brand shares in global markets, industries and societal topics.
Dates covered: Varies
Business plan applications: Finance and Marketing -
Scopus This link opens in a new windowContent types: Abstracts and citations for peer-reviewed journals that might discuss how to manufacture products.
Dates covered: 1966-present
Business plan applications: Marketing and Operations & Supply Chain Management
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ThomasNetContent type(s): A directory of U.S. suppliers. Use it to search by the components or materials your product will need, like Lithium Batteries or Polyurethane
Dates covered: Varies
Business plan applications: Operations and Supply Chain Management