Both market size and market share held by competitors are key factors when assessing the competitive environment. Keep in mind that there is no single source of market size and market share data. Market information is usually pieced together from various sources and is not often readily available for niche or emerging industries. One strategy is to combine a competitor's name or a comparable, established industry with the term market share in article databases or read market research reports. You will need to identify and describe your market – who your customers are and what the demand is for your products and services.
Library Resources
Access to the following sources may be available through your local public or academic library. For information on how to obtain a library card, and for additional information on using libraries in BC, please visit our Getting Access to Library Resources page.
Business Source Ultimate
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource. Otherwise, contact your local library to see if they provide access.
Includes financial data, books, videos, company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry profiles, country reports, market research reports and case studies. Also includes information on industry trends, forecasts, outlooks, competitors, how to run a specific business and much more.
- Mountain Equipment Co-Operative. (2015). Mountain Equipment Co-Operative MarketLine Company Profile, 1-17.
"Mountain Equipment Co-Operative (MEC) is a retailer of clothing, gear and provides services for outdoor activities. The company provides its products and services for hiking, climbing, cycling, running, camping, fitness, snow sports and watersports. MEC operates in Canada, where it is headquartered in Vancouver and employs around 1,716 people. The company recorded revenues of C$320.9 million (approximately $311.8 million) in the fiscal year ended December 2013, an increase of 6.2% over 2012. The company's operating profit was C$6.9 million (approximately $6.7 million) in fiscal 2013, an increase of 44.4% over 2012. Its net profit was C$0.4 million (approximately $0.4 million) in fiscal 2013, as compared to the net loss of C$0.8 million (approximately $0.7 million) in 2012."
- Gustafson, M. (2012). Success in a Changing Co-op System. Agri Marketing, 50(5), 24-27.
"The article looks at the agricultural co-operative (co-op) company GROWMARK. GROWMARK was established out of integration of FS Services and Illinois Grain Corporation in the 1980s, where the company aids farmers by aiding them in developing and selling their products through the co-op system. GROWMARK is possessed by over 40 member cooperatives in U.S. states and Canadian provinces including Ontario, Iowa, and Illinois, where it manages over 100,000 farm, commercial, and residential customers."
ABI/INFORM Collection
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
Created by ProQuest this database contains full-text articles from over 1,000 business magazines and journals that track business conditions, trends, management techniques, corporate strategies, and industry-specific topics.
- O'Connor, C. (2015, Mar 02). How ace hardware turned corner stores into A $4.7 billion co-op. Forbes, 1.
"The Melnicks -- Jeremy, 43, and dad Les, 67 -- own six of the 4,794 Ace Hardware stores that make up America's largest retail cooperative outside the grocery sector. The Oak Brook, IL, co-op expects a year-on-year revenue increase of 13% to about $4.7 billion and a profit boost of 35% when it releases its 2014 annual report in April, following eight consecutive quarters of record sales."
- Molvig, D. (2012). Co-op power. Credit Union Magazine, 78(1), 26-31.
"As financial cooperatives, credit unions focus on what's in their members' best interests, not on stockholders' fast financial gratification."
Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA)
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource. Otherwise, contact your local library to see if they provide access.
Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA)
Provides access to general and specialized business information, current events, and reference materials, including popular and academic journals. Excellent for tracking trends for your specific product or industry.
- The co-operators ranked #3 among 50 best corporate citizens in canada. (2016, Jun 07). Canada NewsWire.
"Addressing society's economic, environmental and social priorities is at the heart of our sustainability efforts and stems ultimately from our co-operative principles," said Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators. "Being recognized as a leading corporate citizen alongside a number of other Canadian co-operatives speaks volumes about the contributions the co-operative sector makes to help create a resilient, more equitable society and economy."
- Renglich, H. (2015, May). The new wave of food co-ops. Briarpatch, 44, 22-24.
"You can't have food sovereignty and security if nobody knows what it is," she states. The co-op intentionally creates and follows buying guidelines that promote fair trade and organic, regional, and local foods.
eMarketer
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource. Or, contact your local public or academic library for their access details.
Global market research and trend analysis database that focuses on Internet, e-business, online marketing, media, and emerging technologies.
Market Share Reporter
Annual compilation of international market share data on selected companies, products, and services. Helpful tip: Use the back-of-book indexes to look up products, services, brands, and companies. If you are searching for information specific to a certain country, be sure to check the table title.
UBC Library Business Databases
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you may have access to business databases through the David Lam Management Research Library and Canaccord Learning Commons through the links below.
Full Listing By Title or Full Listing By Subject
There are two different ways to identify databases: Use "by title" if you already know the name; otherwise you can search the list "by subject" to find starting places for undertaking market research, finding articles or researching companies. To learn more about how you can access library resources if you are a community user or temporary visitor, check out the UBC Library Community Users & Visitors Guide. Community users and temporary visitors may have additional access restrictions to specific databases because of license agreements.
IBISWorld Industry Reports
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
IBISWorld research is an independent, professional publisher of high-quality market research reports. These reports analyze the underlying structure and external forces that drive an industry.
Try Primary Research
The main point of this guide is to introduce you to a wide range of secondary market research resources but keep in mind there is great value in analyzing other information including:
- Advertising, blogs and sales brochures
- Your personal network and employees
- Direct observation and interviews