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Entrepreneurship

This guide will help you research new business ventures.

Business Librarian

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Elizabeth Price
she/her
Contact:
price2el@jmu.edu

Business Librarian

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Valerie Linsinbigler
she/her

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Connecting from off-campus

JMU students, faculty & staff can use electronic resources from off-campus via one of these methods.

 

Welcome to the Research Guide for Entrepreneurship 

This guide will help students use information to analyze case studies or write 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

What type of business information 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

 

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 Find 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

Undertake a comprehensive literature review

 

Understand trends affecting your industry before your interview

Find media coverage about your company

  • Your best bet is Factiva or Access World News
  • Access these databases on the Find 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.