Researching a Company

What is Company Research?• Company research involves finding out as much

information as you can. Company research consists of:– reading the company's Website, press kit, annual

report, and other literature, – talking to people who have worked there, – finding out what its competitors and clients say about

it. – reading any materials published in the media,

including newspapers, trade publications, business indexes, and the Internet.

Doing Company Research• Visit the company's Website If the company is

medium to large, it will have a Web presence that might offer information on the following topics:

• Company history • Financial status (annual report) • Mission and values • Future plans • Products and services

High level company information • Is the company is publicly held (traded on a

stock exchange), privately owned? – It is easier to obtain information on publicly held

companies. Public companies must report financial information to the Governmental Commissions (such as the SEC in the U.S) and their shareholders.

• Websites for financial information– www.moneycentral.msn.com/ – www.hoovers.com/– www.business.com/

News & Periodicals & Articles

• The next step is to review newspaper articles, press releases, and periodical articles on your company. The local newspaper for the company's corporate headquarters could be a starting point. This resource will likely have numerous articles on your company. Online news archives provide links to online newspapers throughout the world. Once you find the local newspaper for your company, scan the main page for the terms "Archives" or "Search" or "Back Issues" to research past articles.

• Websites for news & press releases– www.news.google.com– www.bizjournals.com– www.newslink.org

Industry Information

Another important step in the business research process is to learn something about your company's industry. Some questions to consider include:

• What are the industry trends and areas of growth? • Who are the leading companies in the industry? • What products and services are in the greatest demand? • What new technologies are impacting the industry? Websites that publish industry news:

– www.biz.yahoo.com/industry– www. virtualpet.com/industry/

Conferences and Seminars

• Conferences and seminars provide opportunities for networking and staying up-to-date on key issues affecting the future of the industry or occupation of interest

Now it’s your turn…For your term project:1. Research the hospitality company you wish to visit (or

have visited) using the techniques that are described in this lecture. Try to find out:

● basic details such as its ownership, its financial performance, its position in the market, and how it attempts to differentiate itself from other competing companies

● Potential information that reveals a business communication problem or challenge. For example, has the company received publicity recently? Has it had a management change?

2. Try to research the person you wish to interview. If you are not sure about who this is yet, find out some information about the general manager or owner of the company. Obtain some information about their biographical details and anything else that you think is of importance.