Capitalism's Archives: Navigating Historical Company and Industry Resources
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Research session for the 2014 History of Capitalism Summer Camp, Cornell University, Ithaca NY. Full research guide available at http://bit.ly/caparch
Capitalism's Archives: Navigating Historical Company and Industry Resources
- 1. Capitalisms Archives Navigating Historical Company and Industry Resources History of Capitalism Summer Camp 2014 Aliqae Geraci, ILR Research Librarian, Martin P. Catherwood Library
- 2. OBJECTIVES Identify resources and strategies for researching company and industry history.
- 3. BUSINESS RESEARCH 101 A crash course on how business information is organized
- 4. Key content providers Bloomberg WRDS Hoovers Capital IQ S&P NetAdvantage Mergent Factiva Thomson
- 5. 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
- 6. 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
- 7. 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.
- 8. The language of capitalism Image source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/blog/cleantech-investment-clean-technology
- 9. 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
- 10. 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
- 11. Company profile Basic elements Leadership Timeline Subsidiaries Products & services Balances Customer base Sources Annual Reports (ARS) SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q) Moodys (now Mergent) Manual
- 12. 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
- 13. 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
- 14. Moodys 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
- 15. 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
- 16. 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
- 17. 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
- 18. INDUSTRY RESEARCH The company in context
- 19. 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 Moodys Manuals Industry and trade publications Bibliographies & directories Industry & labor archives Proceedings of trade associations
- 20. 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
- 21. MACROECONOMIC RESEARCH Stay in Industry & Macroeconomic Research
- 22. Select Historical Resources Statistical Abstract Historical Statistics of the U.S. CEIC Data (International data) FRED (Federal Reserve) EconLit Historical periodicals
- 24. 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
- 25. 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
- 26. QUESTIONS? Favorite resources? Stumbling blocks?
- 27. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! For additional assistance, email asg255@cornell.edu
Editor's Notes
- #11: Basic company profile content or, known item queries. Vs. open ended queries requiring subjective analysis.