Research Guidelines
An Explanation: This list is offered as a basic guide to the resources available at USC for private company research. Every research question is a little bit different, so a researcher would not always need to use the same sources in the same order. The methodology would differ significantly, for example, when searching for a person's connections to private businesses rather just looking for private company information. The focus here is private company information.
Part I: How to Find Basic Business Information
Note:
Basic company information is:
Address
Sales
Business type
Executives
| Beginning
Business Identification |
Always start with in-house information,
this will guide your use of other sources CHECK AIS-D address, giving history CHECK HARD COPY FILES/PROFILES ON DEVRES profiles already indicating co. is private, additional USC connections |
| Business Profile #1
|
CHECK HOOVER'S ONLINE
http://www.hoovers.com/ Best source for initial search for Address Sales Est. Business type Executives Web site Subsidiaries If Company is not in Hoover's or there is insufficient data, go to Profile #2 |
| Business Profile #2 | CHECK D&B MILLION DOLLAR DATABASE
http://www.dnbmdd.com/ Site includes: Address Sales Business type Executives Web site Subsidiaries If Company is not in Hoover's or D&B, go to Profile #3 |
| Business Profile #3 | CHECK LEXIS-NEXIS UNIVERSE BUSINESS
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe Go to Company Financial Information Then check US Private Companies or International Company Reports Site usually has basic Address Sometimes additional Financial Information Executives If there is no Company information here, go to Profile #4 |
| Business Profile #4 | CHECK WEB FOR COMPANY WEB SITE
use YAHOO! for a quick look up http://www.yahoo.com CHECK FAVORITE SEARCH ENGINE http://www.altavista.com CHECK PHONE DIRECTORY http://www.switchboard.com/ If there is no Company information here, go to Profile #5 |
| Business Profile #5 | CHECK LEXIS-NEXIS INCORP FILES
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/ln.universe Site has basic Address Sometimes additional Executives If there is no Company information here, go to Profile #6 |
| Business Profile #6 | CHECK HARD COPY SOURCES
Southern California Business Directory L.A. Business Journal Book of Lists If there is no hard copy info, go to Super Sweep |
| Super Sweep | CHECK DOW JONES AND/OR LEXIS-NEXIS
All Sources/All Years http://www.marshall.usc.edu/library/ http://web.lexis-nexis.com/ln.universe If clues are located, review Business Profile
sites above as appropriate
|
Part II: Additional Resources
| SOURCES FOR EXECUTIVE
OR BOARD LISTS |
CHECK COMPANY WEB SITE
If the Web site is not on Hoover's or D&B use YAHOO! for a quick look up http://www.yahoo.com |
| FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Sales/Earnings Business Sale Price |
CHECK DOW JONES AND/OR LEXIS-NEXIS
News Sources http://www.marshall.usc.edu/library/ http://web.lexis-nexis.com/ln.universe CHECK D&B DESKTOP SOLUTIONS View the Financial Information Section Does not often provide additional financial information |
| OWNERSHIP | CHECK D&B DESKTOP SOLUTIONS
View the History/Operations Section |
| Special Resource: D&B Desktop Solutions | This pay-per-view resource should be used
primarily for locating ownership. See "Ownership" above.
It can be used to locate a business when all other FREE resources have been tried. |
Prepared by: N.E. Taylor