Getting StartedBusiness Planning & Entrepreneurship Research Guide
| Articles and Databases | Books and E-Books |
| Websites | What are you looking for? |
| Professional Organizations | Ask a Librarian |
| Related Guides |
Articles and Databases
- ABI/INFORM Complete
- Business Source Premier
- First Research
- LexisNexis Academic
- Small Business Resource Center
- Value Line – for market information for stocks, mutual funds and industries
Subject Headings and Keyword Examples
What are subject headings for?
Try these subject headings:
- Entrepreneurship
- New business enterprises
- Business planning
Brainstorm for other words/phrases more or less specific. Try clicking on other subject headings in the record of a book you like.
Books and Ebooks
Search Tips:
- Note: Some books about starting a business are shelved with the industry rather than with the other business books. i.e. The Business of Massage by the American Massage Therapy Association is shelved with the massage books instead of the business books. Also, it doesn’t have any of those “business” subject headings (“entrepreneurship,” etc.).
- Search "business plan" in the Library Catalog
Here's an example of some ebooks you'll find in the Library Catalog. Ebooks are for students in all GEN schools.
- McKeever, M. P. (2005). How to write a business plan. Array Berkeley, CA: Nolo. Retrieved from Netlibrary.
- Record, M. (2007). Preparing a winning business plan: How to win the attention of investors and stakeholders. Oxford: How To Books. Retrieved from Netlibrary.
More Books
- The local Yellow Pages.
The Yellow Pages can help you to find (and contact) your potential competitors.
- Schaffer, Charles A. and Madeline Harris. A Guide to Starting a Business in Minnesota. St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2004.
This book is available for free through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 500 Metro Square, 121 Seventh Place East, St. Paul, MN 55101-2146. You can also call 651-296-3871 or 800-657-3858 to obtain a copy. It presents topics in the order in which a person would start a business in Minnesota, followed by a directory of resources and a directory of licenses and permits.
Websites
We recommend websites such as:
- Business.gov http://business.gov/
- FedStats: Demographic Statistics http://www.fedstats.gov/
- International Franchise Association: http://www.franchise.org/
- U.S. Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/
- MORE! Take a look at the GEN Library's Delicious Links for business planning topics
Or search the recommended links for all topics:
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What are you looking for?
You can find a wonderful "how to" guide in Small Business Resource Center database.
Start your research by examining the different aspects of your business plan.
- What are your business functions?
- What will be the organizational structure of your business?
- What is the status of the market?
- What are the demographics in the proposed area of business?
- Who is the competition in your industry?
- What is your target audience? What is your marketing and sales strategy?
Use the answers to these questions to find a similar company to use as an example. You can find sample business plans in Small Business Resource Center database.
Professional Organizations
- SCORE: Couselors to America's Small Business http://www.score.org/index.html
- MORE! Take a look at GEN Library's Delicious Links for agriculture business professional associations and organizations
Ask a Librarian
We can help with any part of the research process.
Related Guides
Tuesday September 13, 2011