Business Resources: Websites

Data

Censtats

You can locate the number of businesses that match the NAICS Code within the zip codes you are working within. This website includes county business patterns, searchable by SIC and NAICS. Lists Census databases, with a description of the type of information available at each.

Industries at a Glance

Each profile contains a variety of facts about the industry super-sector, and includes links to additional statistics.

Economic Census

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts an economic census every 5 years.

County Business Patterns

Data on businesses by industry at the county and zip code levels.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT matrix) is a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.

Business Source Complete offers a SWOT search. Go to the home page of the guide and click on Business Resource Complete. Chose SWOT fro the left hand column.

Business Plans

Guides

Sample Plans

Business.gov - Writing a Business Plan
Instructions on how to write a business plan as well as a template.

Industry Codes

The Federal government classifies manufacturing and service industries and assigns each a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code to promote the comparability of statistics. The SIC/NAICS codes are used in many online and print resources to classify establishments in the same industry.

The SIC code was revised over the years and some code numbers have changed reflecting changes in the American economy. Be careful when comparing data from different publishers over a long period of time. Beginning with the 1997 Economic Census, the Census Bureau began using the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) (pronounced "nakes") which is more closely aligned with international codes. Many commercial publications have converted to NAICS, but some still use SIC codes.

Subject Guide

Tammie Beaber