Industry & Market Research Guide

This guide was created to provide a starting point for conducting industry and market research. 

Industry analysis can help you answer the following questions:

• how does the industry operate?
• what is the competitive landscape? who are the key players and what is their market share?
• what is the current size and value of the industry?
• how is the industry performing?
• what is the current outlook for this industry? is the industry growing?
• what are the key products and services?
• what are some barriers to entry?
• what what some threats to the industry?
• what current trends are affecting the industry?

Also, industry surveys usually contain financial data and industry ratios.

Market analysis can help you answer the following questions:

• what is the current size of the market? what is the market potential?
• what are the current market drivers?
• how is the market segmented?
• who is my target market? what are their demographic, psychographic, and geographic characteristics? 
• what are consumer purchasing habits? where do they make purchases? how much do they spend?
• what are current product trends?
• who are the key players in the market?

Market research reports may also contain product and brand data (e.g. sales, shares) and consumer behavior/attitudes survey data.

Other library research guides that may be helpful...

All of the library databases provided on this guide can be accessed from on and off-campus. When using a database from off-campus you will be prompted for your Bentley username and network password (the same password you use to access Brightspace). Some databases may require registration using your Bentley email address. Use the links provided in this guide, or visit the library's Databases A-Z page to access library resources.