Sources Outside the Library
Sally Armstrong
Additional Industry and Market Research Sources
The industry and market research databases available through the library are not the only sources of information you should be familiar with. There are a wide variety of providers and producers of industry and market information so it is important to be thorough in your research and consider using additional sources.
The potential providers and producers of industry and market research information are numerous but some of the top groups to consider are:
- Government and Intergovernmental Organizations
- Consulting Firms
- Trade and Industry Associations
- News Media
- Patent Aggregators
The remainder of this section will touch on each of these providers and producers by providing a few examples for you to consider exploring when you are conducting industry or market research.
QUICK TIP
When searching for information, consider who might be interested in providing or producing it. This can be a helpful technique when you are not sure where to start searching for the information you seek. For example, would a government department track the information you need or perhaps an industry association?
Government and Intergovernmental Organizations
Government and intergovernmental organizations can be valuable sources of information for industry and market research. You were already introduced to several sources in the chapter on Where to Find Data on Your Ideal Customer but there are a few more sources worth mentioning.
As a refresher, governments collect demographic and population data through a census. The information collected is used by communities, businesses, and governments to plan services and make informed decisions about employment, education, health care, market development, and more. The national statistics offices for Canada and the United States are Statistics Canada and the United States Census Bureau.
Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) refer to an entity created by treaty, involving two or more nations, to work in good faith, on issues of common interest. One of the most well-known IGOs is the United Nations which aims “to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.” The United Nations is part of the UN System which comprises of many funds, programmes, and specialized agencies, each of which have their own area of work, leadership, and budget. Each of these groups can be valuable sources of information for someone wanting to learn more about the global reach of a particular topic area. Below are just a few examples of the funds, programmes, and specialized agencies of the UN System. You can view a full list here.
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The United Nations Environment Programme
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The UNEP is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use