Welcome

This site provides information to support your work in MGMT 484. Browse the topics on the right for links to relevant resources and databases.

These resources should help with the background research necessary to prepare a business plan; including the industry analysis, competitor research, and market research.

Seek further assistance from the Management & Economics Library kranlib@purdue.edu or at

www.lib.purdue.edu/mel

- MEL

Target Segment

• Choices III – come to MEL
• MediaMark
• American Factfinder
• ABI/Inform Trade & Industry

Indiana Demographics/Employment Data

• Stats Indiana
• Indiana Business Research Center

Industry Attractiveness

• eStatement Studies
• NetAdvantage
• Plunkett’s Research
• Business & Industry

Market Attractiveness

• Bizminer
• MarketResearch.com Academic
• Marketline Business Information Center
• Global Market Information Database
• Business Source Premier

Class Handout

Here is a copy of the class handout.

Business Plans

Sources for sample business plans and tools to create a business plan.

• Business Plans Handbook
• Entrepreneur.com: Business Plans
• Bplans.com: Sample Plans
• NEBS Business Plan Tool
• Agricultural Innovation & Commercialization Center: INVenture Business Planning Tool

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Consumer spending habits

• The book Who’s Buying… contains consumer buying trends on specific product categories including: Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, entertainment, groceries, household furnishings, and several others.

• The Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics consists of two surveys collected for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Census Bureau — the quarterly Interview survey and the Diary survey — that provide information on the buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers) characteristics.

• Choices III is a massive survey conducted by Simmons Media & Markets. It is a study of consumer buying and media viewing habits. Choices III provides a significant level of flexibility in finding patterns and cross-matching different survey elements.  Data is from their 2005 survey. Choices III is available in the Management & Economics Library.
  

• MediaMark is similar to Choices III and presents data on consumer buying and viewing habits.  It provides more prepackaged reports than Choices III.  MediaMark requires IE and you must create a free account with them.

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Market Research

Review market research reports for details and projections.

• BizMiner – Market Research Profiles
• IBIS World
  – Industry Profiles
• Mintel – Consumer Market Research Reports
• MarketResearch.com Academic – Market Research Reports
• Plunkett’s Online Research – Industry Profiles
• Associations Unlimited (Trade Associations)

Components for Developing a Business Plan: Location, location, location

Gather information on where you will be located…do you have customers there?…what are they like?

• BizMiner – Local Business Summaries
• CFED – Development Report Card for States
• U.S. Census: American Factfinder
• Bureau of Economic Analysis – Regional Economic Accounts
• U.S. Chambers of Commerce

Entrepreneurship focused journals & magazines

Magazines & journals focused on entrepreneurship…

• Creativity & Innovation Management
• Economics of Innovation & Technology
• Entrepreneurship & Regional Development (1 yr embargo)
• Inc Magazine
• International Journal of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Journal of Small Business Management