Background Information: Private Companies
Private companies, unlike public companies, are not required to make their company information public. As a result, you will have to use a variety of sources to find reliable company information.
See below for instructions, screenshots, and a short tutorial video.
If you can't find a profile for your company in Gale Business: Insights, you will need to visit your company's website and also search the library's databases for articles about your company.
Still not able to find any background information about your company? Ask your professor or librarians for help.
Search by Company Name
The easiest way to search for a company in the Gale: Business Insights database is to use the search box at the top of the database homepage. Type your company name into the search box and wait for the "Top Suggestions" dropdown to appear, then select the best option (in this case, "GOOGL Alphabet Inc.") from the suggested Company Profiles results.
If the company profile you want doesn't appear in the "Top Suggestions" dropdown, hit enter or click the magnifying glass to see your full search results. Company profiles will appear first in the search results, under the "Companies" heading.
Company Profiles Overview
The short tutorial video below provides an overview of company profiles.
SWOT Reports
Use any of the databases listed below to locate SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) information for your company. The SWOT reports provided by these databases are different, so we recommend checking both for the most comprehensive information.
If you're not able to locate SWOT reports in either of these databases, you will need to search the library's databases for articles discussing your company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
See below for instructions, screenshots, and a tutorial video.
SWOT Reports in Gale Business: Insights
Search for your company as described in "Background Information" above. If a SWOT analysis for your company is available in this database, a "SWOT Analysis" section will appear next to or below the "Company Overview" section. The red circle to the right of center in the image below shows where to find it. Click on the "Read full SWOT analysis" button to view the report.
SWOT Reports in Business Source Complete
We've set up a SWOT analysis search in this database for you! You will only need to add your company name to the second search box using our preset search. The image below is a sample search with the box for entering your company name circled in red.
SWOT Reports Overview
The short tutorial video below provides an overview of SWOT analyses.
Industry Information
Use any of the databases listed below to locate industry information for your company. The industry reports provided by these databases are different, so we recommend checking both for the most comprehensive information. Both databases use NAICS codes, a classification system developed primarily for tax, reporting, and statistical purposes.
If you're not able to locate industry reports for your company in either of these databases, you will need to search the library's databases for articles discussing your company's industry. If you are researching an emerging industry that doesn't yet have an assigned NAICS code, you can also search for information on similar industries.
Industry Information in Gale Business: Insights
Gale Business: Insights is a great source for industry information. The image below shows an example of the industry information section in the Wegmans Food Markets, Inc company profile. You will need to scroll down through the company profile to locate the "Industry" section. Depending on the types of information included in a company's profile, the "Industry" section might be earlier or later in the profile.
Industry Information in Business Source Complete
Business Source Complete is another great source for industry information. It's easiest to get the NAICS industry code from the Gale Business: Insights company profile to use as your search keyword. The images below show an example of searching for industry profiles in Business Source Complete. Type your search keyword into the first search box and select "IC NAICS Code or Description" in the dropdown to the right that search box, then click on the "Search" button. You'll need to narrow your results by using the "Refine Results" option to the left of the results. Scroll down to the "Source Types" section, then click on the "Industry Profiles" checkbox to automatically update your results to only show industry profile reports. The red circles in the images below show where to find these options.
Annual Reports
Annual reports for private companies are generally not available to the public. As a result, you will need to use business publications and other news sources to gather information about your company. You can search the library's databases for articles. Use keywords to search and database limiters for more relevant results. Visit Penfield's Search Basics guide for additional tips and examples.
The following image is a sample search for Wegman's annual sales information using the ABI/INFORM Global database. The first article seems to provide an annual sales figure. Notice that the Wall Street Journal is the source of this information.
