business r & r: how to do reference and research for your business customers
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Business R&R: How to Do Reference & Research for Your
Business CustomersTina Poliseo and Mary Knott, Business Librarians
Douglas County Libraries, Highlands Ranch Library
20 November 2009
Business Research Process
• Question/Interview• Search process• Linking question to information
resources• Evaluation of resources and results• Presentation of information• Real life examples• Handouts- available at the CAL website
The Business Question
Context
• Business stage
• Business of the business• How the information will be used
Aids to elicit context
Christine Hamilton-Pennell’s website growinglocaleconomies.com
• “Tell Us about Your Business”
• “Identifying Key Business Information Needs”
Growing Local Economies
Other business intake forms
• Douglas County Libraries• Denver Public Library-
http://denverlibraries.org• South Metro Denver SBDC-
smallbusinessdenver.com• Pikes Peak Library District –coming
soon!• Successful Business Research-
Straight to the Numbers You Need Fast – Rhonda Abrams
www.douglascountylibraries.org
Research from the business person’s perspective
Chapter 6- pp. 35-41
List Your Questions
Industry/economic sector
Target MarketCompanies
Rhonda Abrams- weekly column for USA TodaySix Steps to a Successful Small Business: Worksheets You Needwww.usatoday.com/money/smallbusi ness/startup/week5.htm
•Define Your Research Goals •Develop Your Research Questions
Interview questioning• Probing/drilling down
• Who, What, Where, When, How
• Clarify/Verify - Paraphrase/restate• Add, redefine, ask a follow-up
• Atmosphere/environment• Confidentiality, interest, active listening
Search ProcessLink the business question to the
“likely” source(s)
• Who is “likely” to have this information?
• Government, association, private research company, another business/business person
• Think triage
• Business databases, internet/search engine, blogs, magazines/newspapers, books/catalog, trade/association enewsletters
Search organization• Identify key words, phrases, concepts,
subject headings• Apply Narrower, Broader, Related
concept to vocabulary• Pinpoint a representative company or
key people/experts• Find appropriate NAICS/SIC
• databases- browse industry codes and/or key word search
• NAICS- www.census.gov
• SIC- www.osha.gov
“Business Question Worksheet”
Christine Hamilton-Pennell, Growing Local Economies
Question:
Key information needed:
Key terms:
NAICS/SIC codes:
Sources:
Key search results:
Industry resources/experts:
Actionable information/take-away points:
Search tips• Modify searches – add/subtract
terms in phrase, use another form of term
• Use the database’s “help” or “search tips”
• Try both “basic” and “advanced” search options
• Use the database’s subject headings/terms
Search tips continued!
• Follow up on works cited• Try qualifiers/limiters - date,
geographic• Use database’s features: email,
search history,folders, alerts• Use the database’s navigational tools
– “results list” - better than the “back” button
• Look at database’s “related subjects”
More search tips- know your databases!
• Local:
• Colorado Springs Business Journal- Regional Business News- EBSCO
• ColoradoBiz- MasterFILE Premier- EBSCO
• 10 Colorado newspapers- America’s Newspapers- Newsbank
• National:• Wall Street Journal- Newspaper Source- EBSCO- indexed only/not full text
• New York Times- America’s Newspapers- Newsbank
Search engine searches• Google• Bing• Yahoo• OthersTake advantage of advanced search in
Google- allows searching within a domain:• .edu
• .gov
• .net
• .org
Google advanced search
Evaluate
• Business information resource
• Search results
Evaluate the information resource
• Authority/objectivity
• Scope and currency• Audience
• Format
• Cost
• Searches
Evaluate the search results
• Source cited• Objective or potential agenda/bias
• Date
• With Internet check the domain name: edu, gov, net, org, com
• Present data from the last two years• Study/survey: date, time frame data collected, period about which conclusions are reached
Presenting Research
• If short, quick answer
• If extensive research
• Email or telephone citing source
• Prepare a written report
Business research report
• Executive summary• Key words/search terms• Library subject headings• Trade publications• Key findings• List of references
• Books, databases, websites, community resources, interviews, magazine/newspapers, newsletters, blogs
Client feedback• Ask
• Satisfied with the research results?
• Need more or something else?
• Question completely answered?
• Invite return
Referral
• Another agency, business counseling service, professional organization
• Incubator/economic gardening group• Information broker/specialist Association of Independent
Information Professionals aiip.org
BIZINFO – ONLINE FORM
DouglasCountyLibraires.org
DCL BizInfo INTAKE FORM
REAL LIFE EXAMPLES
PURCHASING LODGING BUSINESS
• Preferred location Colorado/Western slope
• Industry forecasts
• Future vacation/travel predictions and hotel occupancy
• Never owned a business before
REFERENCE USA
Reference USA – SIC Code and State/County
COLORADO WESTERN SLOPE COUNTIES
REFERENCE USA – COLORADO/COUNTY
TABLEBASE – Travel and Leisure
Forecast for Hospitality Industry
TABLEBASE
SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER
SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER
BUSINESS SOURCE PREMIER
Business Publications
BUSINESS SOURCE PREMIER
Business Publications
GALE DIRECTORY OF ASSOCIATIONS
COLORADO BUSINESS ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2009
HOTEL NEWS NOW
SOUTH METRO DENVER SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CENTER
COLORADO BUSINESS EXPRESS http://www.colorado.gov/cbe/
STATE OF COLORADO BUSINESS EXPRESS
DOUGLAS COUNTY LIBRARIES - BOOKS
ROBOTIC COMPONENTS
• Grow customer base
• Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah
• 15 complimentary manufacturers
• Economic Outlook
REFERENCE USA – CUSTOM SEARCH
COLORADO – METRO COUNTIES
METRO COUNTY RESULTS
COLORADO BUSINESS ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2009
BP MARKETING SOLUTIONS
• Salary range information within the Denver Metro area
• Management positions
BP MARKETING SOLUTIONS
LABOR MARKET INFORMATION LMI GATEWAY
OCCUPATIONAL WAGES
ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY 2008