Science,
Industry and Business Library
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Asking
Questions about Yourself
Asking Questions about Companies
Assessment
Asking Questions about Companies
Now that you've asked -- and answered
-- some basic questions about yourself, it's time to ask some basic
questions about the company or companies you're researching.
The answer to these questions will direct you to resources which
will be discussed in the rest of the course.
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What type of business is it?
The type of business activities conducted by the company you are
researching will tell you where to look and what to look for. For
example, Thomas Register is a directory of American manufacturers
that covers only manufacturing companies.
Is the company for-profit/not-for-profit?
Some resources differentiate between for-profit
and not-for-profit,
and some deal wholly with one or the other.
Is the company small or large?
Some resources focus on small or minority-owned businesses. Some
focus on "top ranked" companies. Resources may use criteria such
as a company's net
worth or number of employees as organizational features.
Is the company public or private?
With regard to research, the major difference between public
and private
companies is the amount of information readily available. Knowing
the type of company is crucial in determining where you look for
information about the company, and what kind of information you
will be able to find.
Public
Publicly held companies have shares that can be bought and sold
by individual investors among the general public on the U.S. stock
exchanges. Public companies are legally required to disclose certain
kinds of information -- including financial -- by filing reports
with the Security Exchange Commission or SEC.
A complete list of companies is available via EDGAR, the online
section of the SEC website. You'll learn more about the SEC in Module
3.
Private
Privately held companies do not sell shares to the public to raise
capital. These companies are not required to disclose financial
or any other type of information about themselves. However, some
companies include information on their websites, and release news
via the media.
"Going Public"
Unless you've been living under a rock for the last couple of years,
you have probably heard the expression IPO
-- Initial Public Offering. Companies going from private to public
do so by issuing stock. Once a company decides to make a transition,
it is required to file information with the SEC.
Where is the company located?
Company location is important since most directories are organized
by geographical area.
Is the company international? Some companies have operations in
more than one country. You may need to use international resources
for such companies. For example, Nestlé has offices in the
United States, but is headquartered in Switzerland.
Is the company U.S. based? Some resources focus on the companies
of one particular country. You may need to use national resources
for these businesses. For example, Hoover's produces both
a domestic and international directory of company information.
Is the company local? Some resources have a regional or local scope.
You may find such resources useful for small businesses and single-location
companies. For example, in New York, you might use the Harris
New York Manufacturers Directory. Other states have similar
tools to consult.
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