capitalism's archives: navigating historical company and industry resources

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 asg255@cornell.edu