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Entrepreneurship

This guide will help you research new business ventures.

Business Librarian

Elizabeth Price

she/her

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Subjects: Business, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, International Business, Marketing

Business Librarian

Valerie Linsinbigler

she/her

Email Me

Subjects: Accounting, Business, Computer Information Systems & Business Analytics, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance & Business Law

Welcome to the Research Guide for Entrepreneurship

This guide will help students use information to analyze case studies or write their own business plans.

Not sure where to start? Consult with one of our research experts.

Peer research advisers can help with:

finding more credible sources for business plans or academic projects
citing sources in APA

Your business librarian can help with:

identifying whether business database can answer your research question
tackling honors capstones, theses or research assistant projects

Prepare for your consultation

PDF: Transcript of Tips for making the most of your 20-minute consultation video

What Type of Business iIformation Do You Need?

Find competitors or industry financial benchmarks

Your best bets are Data Axle, Mergent Online, BizMiner or PrivCo
Access these databases on the Data about Companies page

Determine market size and identify your best customers

Your best bets are Mintel Academic, Statista or Claritas 360
Access these databases on the Data about Consumers page

Review sample plans from other businesses

Your best bet is Business Plans Handbook
Access this e-book via JMU Library Search

Examine your company's organizational culture or strategy

Your best bet is Business Source Complete
Access this database on the Data about Companies page.

Find media coverage about your company

Your best bet is Factiva or Access World News
Access these databases on the F ind News Articles page.

Learn more about the industry you're analyzing

Your best bets are Mergent Online or IBISWorld
Access these databases on the Data about Companies page

Search for scholarly or peer-reviewed articles about business concepts

Your best bets are Business Source Complete, PsycINFO, or JSTOR
Access these databases on the Find Scholarly Articles page.

Find a particular scholarly article based on a citation

Your best bet is Google Scholar
Access this database on the Find Scholarly Articles page.

Undertake a comprehensive literature review

Your best bet is Scopus
Access this database on the Find Scholarly Articles page.

Understand trends affecting your industry before your interview

Your best bets is IBISWorld
Access this database on the Data about Companies page

Find media coverage about your company

Your best bet is Factiva or Access World News
Access these databases on the F ind News Articles page.

Determine salary ranges for a location

Your best bets are O*NET OnLine or the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics
Access these databases on the Data about Careers or Jobs page.

Best bets for entrepreneurship

IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
Content type(s): Market research on more than 700 U.S. industries.
Dates covered: Current
Data Axle Reference Solutions This link opens in a new window
Directory of U.S. businesses (key personnel, addresses, credit rating, sales, subsidiaries, etc) and households (name, address, and phone number, census data for the household's area).
Statista This link opens in a new window
Content type(s): Data aggregation and research platform covering North American, European, and Asian markets, industries and societal topics.
Dates covered: Varies

DataUSA
The most comprehensive website and visualization engine of public U.S. Government data.

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