Library Databases
The Expensive World Of Business Information
Believe it or not, you cannot find everything on Google! Have you ever done an online search and found the perfect industry report only to find that it costs over $5,000? Did you know that libraries pay for many expensive databases that could be helpful in your secondary market research?
Search engines like Google can only provide direct access to freely available information. Most of the web, including business information, lives in databases behind expensive paywalls. This paywall-protected section of the Internet is known as the deep web. Fortunately, some libraries pay to subscribe to databases so they can provide free access to their patrons — and many business databases can contain useful information such as articles, market research, and company reports.
There are several strategies you can use to access relevant business information on the deep web. First, we urge you to look up what business resources your local public or academic library can provide access to. Each database has its own arrangement, with unique interfaces and search features. It helps to know the structure and search terms of the specific database you are working with in order to retrieve effective results.
Also, it is important to know that library databases are restricted by specific usage agreements. It can help to consult with a librarian if you have trouble navigating a specific database. They may also be able to help you find comparable information elsewhere. Libraries with robust business collections might have useful e-books, directories and trade journals. As you conduct your secondary market research you will likely need to consult both free and deep web resources.
For more information about how and why to use business databases, check out our video tutorial, Module Four: Conducting Your Industry Research.
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.
Provincial Library Database Partners
How to access: Check out the database list and note the License Participants to find out which institutions have access. Otherwise, contact your local post-secondary library to see what they offer.
BC Electronic Library Network (ELN) Research Databases
ELN licenses databases with partner academic libraries. These include LexisNexis, Canadian Newsstream, Hoovers, CBCA Business, ABI/INFORM Complete and others that may be of interest to business researchers.
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.
- (2022, Dec 23) Digital twin financial services and insurance global market report 2022: Featuring IBM, Atos, Swim, General Electric & Microsoft. NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
- (2022, Dec 08). The rising adoption of cloud technologies will drive the digital twin financial services and insurance market as per the business research company's digital twin financial services and insurance global market report 2022: Avail a limited period discount of 33% on our uniquely designed opportunities and strategies market research reports. NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
- (2023, Jan 18). Wealth management platform market size worth USD 6.29 billion by 2029 | research by fortune business insights: As per the report by fortune business insights, the global wealth management platform market size is projected to reach USD 6.29 billion in 2029, at a CAGR of 13.2% during the forecast period, 2022-2029. NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
- (2023, Jan 16). [Latest] financial analytics market size to surpass USD 19.2 billion with growing CAGR of 14.80% by 2028, emerging trends, business strategies, competitive landscape and regional analysis: Global financial analytics market size, share & COVID-19 impact analysis, by component (solution and services), by deployment mode (on-premise and cloud), by organization size (large enterprises and small & medium sized enterprises), by industrial vertical (BFSI, IT and telecom, manufacturing, retail and E-commerce, government, healthcare and others) and regional forecasts, 2022-2028. NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
- (2023, Jan 16). Press release: Profit warning: Verkkokauppa.com adjusts its business operations to meet the decreased demand and makes a write-down related to the streamlining of its assortment - preliminary information on the financial development of 2022. Dow Jones Institutional News. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
- (2023, Jan 13). High frequency trading market size 2023 to reach USD 12590 million and exhibit a CAGR of 11.8% | global industry growth rate, key players, trends, demand, revenue and gross margin, opportunities, challenges and forecast research. NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
- Fuentealba, J. (2023, Jan 13). Challenges in the financial industry for 2023. CE Noticias Financieras. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
Mergent Online
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
Provides access to US and international public company data. This database also contains data on companies that were acquired, went bankrupt, liquidated or merged out of existence from 1995 forward. Users can compare companies and export data into programs like Excel.
BCC Research Centre
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.
Publishes 250 reports annually that are complete with market intelligence, five-year forecasts, statistical and analytical data, key players, market share, industry structure and dynamics, and technological shifts and trends.
- TBRC. (2022, September). Accounting Services Market Global Briefing 2022: Ukraine-Russia War Impact. [Report Code MKB202G.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2022, September). Financial Services Market Global Briefing 2022: Ukraine-Russia War Impact. [Report Code MKB051I.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2022, September). Wealth Management Market Global Briefing 2022: Ukraine-Russia War Impact. [Report Code MKB062I.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2022, August). Global Accounting Services Market Report 2022. [Report Code MKB202F.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2022, August). Wealth Management Market Global Briefing 2022. [Report Code MKB202H.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2021, December). Financial Services Global Market Competitor Briefing 2022. [Report Code MKB051I.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2021, December). Wealth Management Global Market Competitor Briefing 2022. [Report Code MKB062G.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2021, December). Wealth Management Investment Competitor Outlook 2020: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery. [Report Code MKB062G.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
- TBRC. (2022, August). North America Accounting Services Market Report 2022. [Report Code MKB587A.] Retrieved from BCC Research Centre database.
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.
- Thomas, R. A. (2023). Changing Landscape for Rates, Taxes & the Accounting Industry. New Jersey Business, 69(1), 39. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- Whitman, P. J. (2023). The Accounting Tidal Wave and What it Means for Businesses: Mergers, acquisitions and flexible hiring trends are all changing the face of the accounting industry. New Jersey Business, 69(1), 46–47. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- MarketLine Company Profile: Robert W. Baird & Co. Private Wealth Management. (2022). In Robert W. Baird & Co. Private Wealth Management Company Profile (pp. 1–17). Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- Ortolani, A. (2022). When Merging Retirement Planning and Wealth Management, Participants Must “Come First.” PLANADVISERdash. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- “FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY: Overview of Representation of Minorities and Women and Practices to Promote Diversity.” 2022. GAO Reports, December, 1–9. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- Heye, C. (2022). The Three Most Important Trends in Wealth Management: Crypto and ESG get lots of headlines, but they might be distracting us from what’s really important. Journal of Financial Planning, 35(11), 46–50. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- Napolitano, J. P. (2022). Looking to buy a wealth management practice? Accounting Today, 36(10), 22–23. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- Ahn, Y. (2022). Predicting customer attrition using binge trading patterns: Implications for the financial services industry. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 1–14. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- PUTNAM, C. (2022, August 12). Technological advances enhance wealth management services: Human interaction still needed for relationship building. Central Penn Business Journal, 11–13. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
- Customer-First Strategy: Putting the client at the heart of wealth management. (2022). American Banker, 4. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database.
First Research Industry Profiles
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, or faculty you can access many of these reports through ABI/INFORM and/or Business Market Research Collection (Proquest).
Covers over 900 industry segments. Updated on a quarterly basis, these industry profiles contain critical analysis, statistics and forecasts to help you engage key prospects, coach key clients, and deepen customer relationships. You can search for reports by NAICS, SIC or keyword or browse by category.
- (2022) Financial Planners & Investment Advisers - Quarterly Update 12/19/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First Research Industry Profiles.
- (2022) Investment Banking - Quarterly Update 11/4/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First Research Industry Profiles.
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.
- DellaCamera, C. (2022, September). Accounting Services in Canada / CANADA INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 54121cCA / PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SERVICES IN CANADA. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
- Kanda, S. (2022, February). Tax Preparation Services in Canada / CANADA INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 54121dCA / PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SERVICES IN CANADA. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
- Faber, T. (2022, September). Accounting Services in the US / US INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 54121c / PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SERVICES. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
- Burns, J. (2022, August). Global Accounting Services / GLOBAL INDUSTRY REPORT L6713-GL / GLOBAL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
- Maldonado, C. (2022, September). Payroll & Bookkeeping Services in the US / US INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 54121b / PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SERVICES. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
- Lang, C. (2022, July). Financial Planning & Advising Services in the US / US INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 52393 / FINANCE & INSURANCE. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
- Maldonado, C. (2022, September). Finance and Insurance in the US / US INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 52 / FINANCE AND INSURANCE. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
- Govdysh, A. (2022, December). Custody, Asset, & Securities Services in the US. US INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 52399 / FINANCE AND INSURANCE. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
Marketresearch.com/Freedonia Focus
How to access: Check your local public or academic library to see about access. If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
While you can search this website only some Canadian libraries provide full-text access to the market research reports on industries and demographics for North American industries. They can range from 50 to 400+ pages in length, and contain charts, tables, and graphs, and key facts. Marketresearch.com has varied industry coverage and includes US and international information.
- Packaged Facts. (2022, October). Financial Services for the Very High Net Worth. Marketresearch.com. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
- Freedonia Focus Reports. (2022, May). Professional Services: United States. Marketresearch.com. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
- Packaged Facts. (2018, December). The African-American and Hispanic Markets: Wealth, Banking, and Payment Trends. Marketresearch.com. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
Business Market Research Collection (Proquest)
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
Business Market Research Collection brings together four sources to help students more easily conduct the research they need to produce business plans, marketing plans, startup plans, market growth analysis, and strategic and financial plans. Includes access to: Hoover's Company Profiles, OxResearch, Barnes Reports, and the older Snapshots Series, which includes market research overviews on over 40 industries and 40 countries to 2008.
- (2022) Financial Planners & Investment Advisers - Quarterly Update 12/19/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First Research Industry Profiles.
- (2022) Investment Banking - Quarterly Update 11/4/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First Research Industry Profiles.
Statista
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
A simple to use statistics portal that integrates statistics from thousands of sources, on topics related to business, media, public policy, health and others. Statistics can be exported in PPT, XLS, PDF, and PNG formats. Some basic content available for free.
- Statista. (2022, August). Statista dossier on Finance and Assets in Canada 2022. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Research Department. (2022, November 25).Revenue of accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services in Canada from 2012 to 2021. StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Research Department. (2022, November 25). Accounting, tax, bookkeeping & payroll services revenue in Canada by province 2021. StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Research Department. (2022, November 25). Accounting, tax, bookkeeping & payroll services expenditures in Canada 2021. StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Research Department. (2022, November 25). Share of accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services sales in Canada in 2021, by client type. StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Research Department. (2022, July 20). Share of investors expressing an increase in interest in different investment products in Canada in 2021. KPMG. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Research Department. (2022, July 20). Distribution of Canadian adults by amount of money invested in the stock market in 2021. KPMG. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Research Department. (2022, July 19). Share of investors trading via online platforms in Canada in 2021, by generation. KPMG. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Kunst, A. (2022, November 28). Financial product usage in Canada in 2022. Statista Global Consumer Survey. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Kunst, A. (2022, November 28). Attitudes towards personal finances in Canada in 2022. Statista Global Consumer Survey. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Global Consumer Survey. (2022). Financial consulting service usage [table]. Statista Consumer Insights. Retrieved from Statista database.
- Statista Global Consumer Survey. (2022). Reasons for changing financial service provider. [table]. Statista Consumer Insights. Retrieved from Statista database.
- (2022). FinTech | Digital Markets. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
- (2022). Digital Investment | Digital Markets. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
WARC: World Advertising Research Center
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
WARC has case studies from major companies and advertising agencies, as well as articles from leading advertising journals and unpublished papers. It also includes company profiles, advertising spending statistics, and demographic and economic data.
- What’s working in financial services. (2021, August). WARC Category Intelligence. Retrieved from WARC database.
- Hamill, A. (2022, May). Mastercard’s ‘True Name’: financial inclusion for trans and gender non-conforming people. WARC Creative Analysis. Retrieved from WARC database.
- (2021). Calvert Research and Management: Teaching advisors to fish with ESG. WARC Awards for Effectiveness. Retrieved from WARC database.
- Clapp, R. (2020, February). Consumer trust falls across 15 different industries. WARC Data Points. Retrieved from WARC database.
- Baines, L. Post-COVID expectations and behaviours: Gen Z and financial services. WARC Exclusive. Retrieved from WARC database.
- Scarfo, G., and Zeidler, B. (2018, September). The Secret Financial Lives of Americans - and the Future of Financial Services. Research on WARC. Retrieved from WARC database.
- (2022). BNY Mellon Wealth Management: Manifesting a Service Proposition. WARC Creative Analysis. Retrieved from WARC database.
- (2022). Merrill: Seeing the Unseen: The role gender plays in wealth management. ARF Ogilvy Awards. Retrieved from WARC database.
- Wilde, A. (2021, August). Bucking the declining trust trend in financial services. WARC Exclusive. Retrieved from WARC database.
Newspapers and News Sources - UBC Library Research Guide
How to access: The guide can be viewed through the link below. Individual resources and databases will have different access requirements.
UBC Library has an excellent collection of current and historical newspapers from B.C., Canada, and around the world. UBC affiliates will have access to these resources.
- Kiladze, T. (2023). The key to Canaccord’s $1.1-billion buyout offer: An overlooked, but very valuable, wealth management arm: Canaccord genuity has revamped a good chunk of its business model, putting more emphasis on, and more money into, the company’s wealth management business – particularly in Britain. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database.
- (2022, Dec 20). Vena and Fluence announce strategic partnership to provide a unified solution for business planning and financial close. Canada NewsWire. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database.
- Burnett-Nichols, H. (2022). How advisory practices are preparing for a looming recession: The wealth management industry has been facing challenges for much of the year with the market downturn but now may be the ideal time to invest in the business. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database.
- Waldie, P. (2022). Financial advisor wins investment industry award for supporting charities in canada and abroad: Shiraz ahmed, 39, has supported various charities such as the international development and relief fund, Toronto’s hospital for sick children and the juvenile diabetes foundation. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database.
- (2022, Dec 09). Financial, business groups want to preserve biodiversity. Waterloo Region Record. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database.