Capitalism’s ArchivesNavigating Historical Company and Industry Resources
History of Capitalism Summer Camp 2014Aliqae Geraci, ILR Research Librarian, Martin P. Catherwood Library
OBJECTIVESIdentify resources and strategies for researching company and industry history.
BUSINESS RESEARCH 101A crash course on how business information is organized
Key content providers
• Bloomberg• WRDS• Hoover’s • Capital IQ• S&P NetAdvantage• Mergent• Factiva• Thomson
Content
• Company profiles and timelines (abbreviated histories)• Key financials• summaries (from filing data)• ratios, etc.
• Product/service listing• Leadership – Officers and directors• Mapping functions
• Key competitors and industry information• Investor reports - usually SWOT-type
Features
• Data driven - quantitative information and analysis• Predigested - Info has been processed and is presented
in easily consumable format• Insider perspective - Oriented toward the business
practitioner & investor community• Ahistorical – or limited historical perspective
Why this is important
• Existing resources are designed for forward-oriented practitioners, not researchers looking to the past
• Structural rules of information organization still apply – source oriented.
• Organized according to the language, perspective, and practices of capitalism. This vocabulary drives research outcomes.
The language of capitalism
Image source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/blog/cleantech-investment-clean-technology
COMPANY RESEARCH“That the perspective is that of the firm is basic, and regardless of the questions posed, the firm is, and will remain, the central object of analysis.”Source: Institute for Business History Research, “Business History: An Expanding Research Area”
Questions
Company Profile• Leadership• History/Timeline• Subsidiaries• Products & services• Financials• Customer base
Expanded Analysis• Strategy• Production & distribution• Innovation• Competitive landscape• Economic & political
context• Organizational culture• Working conditions
Company profile
Basic elements• Leadership • Timeline• Subsidiaries• Products & services• Balances• Customer base
Sources• Annual Reports (ARS)• SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q)• Moody’s (now Mergent)
Manual
ARS v. 10-K Source: Cornell Management Library http://johnson.library.cornell.edu/node/283
ARS• Annual report to
shareholders• Leadership• Financial statements• Visual content – charts,
graphs• Easier to understand – good
for an overview or getting started
10-K• Annual filing to SEC• Leadership• Financial statements• No visual content• More detailed information
– good for accounting research or identifying company vulnerabilities
ARS v. 10-K Locations
ARS• Mergent Archives• Proquest Historical
Annual Reports• Columbia (NYC)• UPenn• Library microfiche
collections (see list)
10-K• Mergent Archives
(limited)• EDGAR (1994-present)• Library microfiche
collections
Moody’s Manual (Mergent Archives or print)
• Annual, dates back to 1909• Financials (including historical data)• Business history • Leadership (officers and directors)• Stock & dividend information• Subsidiary listings
Beyond the company profile
Questions• Strategy• Production & distribution• Competition• Economic & political
context• Organizational culture• Working conditions
Sources• Secondary sources• Corporate history• Employee manuals• Company organ• Corporate archives• Collective bargaining
agreements• Labor archives
Locations
• Directory of Corporate Archives• ARCHIVEGRID• Labor Archives in the United States & Canada• Library Catalog or WorldCat• Periodicals, publications, grey literature• Search by corporate name for author or subject
• Subscription databases • Primary and secondary sources
Considerations
• Private v. public – determines volume, accessibility• Size matters – local/regional companies • International companies – later in session• See additional resources in LibGuide for titles/links
INDUSTRY RESEARCHThe company in context
Industry Questions and Sources
Information• Industry code• Major companies • Employment/Wages• Import/Export• Establishments• Revenue• Political and economic context• Regulation/Assistance• Barriers to entry• Competitive environment
Sources• Statistical resources• Print directories• Mergent – Moody’s Manuals• Industry and trade
publications• Bibliographies & directories• Industry & labor archives• Proceedings of trade
associations
Locations
• Directory of Corporate Archives• Statistical Abstract (ex: 1995, Construction)• Library Catalog or WorldCat• Periodicals, publications, secondary sources• Search by industry name for subject
• Subscription databases • Primary and secondary sources
MACROECONOMIC RESEARCHStay in “Industry & Macroeconomic Research”
Select Historical Resources
• Statistical Abstract• Historical Statistics of the U.S.• CEIC Data (International data)• FRED (Federal Reserve)• EconLit• Historical periodicals
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS RESEARCH
Select Resources
• Uniworld• International Directory of Company Histories• Mergent Archives• Research guides from business libraries and researchers• International data sources like World Bank, IMF, and ILO
The Archival Landscape
• Every country has a different legal and cultural context that influences archival collections, customs, and requirements
• Corporate archivists are key resources to help navigate resources and manage expectations
• Corporate archives still serve business needs first
QUESTIONS? Favorite resources? Stumbling blocks?
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!For additional assistance, email [email protected]
Top Related