Engineering Entrepreneurship
Environmental Scan
Trade News
To find other appropriate databases consult the Subject Guides. For instance, if your new product or service relates to healthcare, check out the Nursing page. If it is a computer related product check the Information Services or Computing Sciences pages.
Patent Search
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Lexis-Nexis Academic Patent search under legal tab.
Engineering Journals
Compendex from 
is the most comprehensive engineering database, covering all disciplines
Competitor Research
To identify competitors leverage what you have learned by the trade literature search, search directories and market research reports.
Hoovers Directory of public and private companies
Mintel Mostly for consumer goods
ReferenceUSA Search the international module for market research reports.
GMID (Euromonitor) International consumer market database.
MarketInsight Broad S&P industry overviews.
Global New Product Development International database of recently introduced packaged goods.
Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources The will point to specialized data sources for many industries.
Market Size
Estimating the potential market size for your new product involves making logical assumptions about the number of potential buyers and the market power of existing competition. You may need to estimate the number of people or firms likely to buy your product at a given price point and project repeat purchase patterns. Defining the market in geographic, demographic and psychographic terms may be useful first steps. These secondary market research sources may be helpful.
Statistical Lexis-Nexis Index and abstract for statistics from the federal government and private sources.
American Factfinder or Data.gov Portals for data from the federal government. Economic census provides estimage of size of existing industry. Population and household censuses provide snapshot of consumer characteristics.
Market Share Reporter Abstracts of estimated market share from trade sources.
MRI+University Internet Reporter Learn about consumer buying patterns, Use Internet Explorer
SRDS Local Market Audience Analyst Learn about consumer demographics and characteristics. Use Internet Explorer
Surveys & Focus Groups
To estimate market size you may need to do some primary research by conducting a survey. Most of these resources were found by searching the Falvey Memorial Library Catalog for subject terms such as social surveys or focused group interviewing. These aren't necessarily the best resource they are just a random sample!
Handbook of Online Marketing Research
Handbook for Focus Group Research
How to Conduct Surveys a Step by Step Guide
Focus Groups a Practical Guide for Applied Research
Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods
Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods
Suppliers & Cost Estimates
Thomasnet North American based business to business directory.
Aliaba Asian based suppliers directory and web site.
Zycon Another manufacturers and suppliers directory
ReferenceUSA Subscription business directory
