1. Directories:
Privately owned or closely held companies make up the vast majority of businesses in the United States. These range in size from an individual working out of his home in his spare time to multi-billion dollar enterprises . Ownership can range from a single person up to (under specified conditions) 500 persons. The one thing they have in common is the right to keep most of their information private. This causes the main problem in doing research. Oftentimes the information is not publicly available.
(In Florida, some information is available through the Secretary of State's corporation site.)
When you are looking for a privately-owned company, there is very limited information available on this category of enterprises. Because private companies do not have to make information public (except by local & state regulations), you must rely on 2 basic sources of information for these entities: directories and the news media. You should also remember that these sources got most of their information from persons who had an interest in what is reported: to improve their company's image and to derogate that of their competitors.
The following directories include both public and private companies:
a. Dun's Directory of Service Companies. RRF HD9981.3.D7. This companion volume to Million Dollar Directory covers service companies. Main listing by company, indexes by geographical location of headquarters and S.I.C.
b. Million Dollar Directory. RRF HC102.D8. This index of major U.S. companies bases its listings on the physical assets of the companies. Main listing by company name, with geographical index and S.I.C. industry index.
c. Thomas Register of American Manufacturers. RRF T12.T6. Includes most manufacturers in the U.S. Has three sections: by product name, company listing, and company catalogs (cross-referenced from product listing.)
There are many other directories in this library. To find them, consult the online catalog. In addition, the greatest collection of company & industry directories will usually be in the downtown public library.
2. Indexes to magazines, journals, and newspapers:
a. Business & Industry, available through Galenet, indexes trade journals and industry newsletters. Many of the articles indexed are available full text on the web. :Because this database covers industry publications, it includes much more information on private companies than most. Further, when the text of the article is not included in the database, the abstract should include all figures reported in the original article.
b. Business Newsbank. This option on the NewsBank site indexes the business section of hundreds of newspapers in the U.S. and dozens of local/regional journals. Because the newspapers and local business journals focus on local companies, regardless of public/private ownership, this is an excellent source for finding information on private companies. The articles are available on the computer in full-text.
c. ABI/Inform. ProQuest. Indexes a broad spectrum of business scholarly journals and news magazines. Many are available in full text online, including in PDF.
d. Business Index. Indexes a mix of scholarly journals, trade journals, and news magazines in the business field. Includes some full text.
e. Academic Universe. Includes full text searching of a number of business publications and some directories.
f. Wilson Business Abstracts. Indexes several hundred business scholarly journals and news magazines.
LOCATION SYMBOLS
| A&I = Abstracts & Indexes (2nd flr) | ERC = Electronic Research Ctr (2nd flr east) |
| AV = Audio-Visuals Desk (5th flr) | MIC = Microforms (4th flr) |
| BUS = Business Services (2nd flr) | REF = Reference Collection (2nd flr east) |
| DESK = Ref. desk (2nd flr) | RES = Reserve Room (2nd flr lobby) |
| DOC = Government Documents(2nd flr south) | RRF = Ready Reference (2nd flr east) |
| DOCS DESK = Government Docs. Desk(2nd flr south) | UGEN = General Collection (5th-7th floors) |
| Company Information, main page |
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