Entrepreneurship Library Research Guide
October 10, 2025 2025-10-10 16:02Rocky Mountain College Library Resources
We have a wide array of powerful research databases that are relevant:
https://rocky.edu/library/research-databases/business-and-accounting-databases/
Getting Started: Finding Keywords & Background Information
Entrepreneurship (database) has a great "Topic Finder"
Perfect for exploring your business concept and discovering search terms to use in other
databases. Browse topics, find relevant keywords, and locate articles all in one place.
Understanding NAICS Codes
Industry classification codes help you find relevant research. Look up your industry's code at:
NAICS.com Search Tool: https://www.naics.com/search/
Census Bureau NAICS: https://www.census.gov/naics
Note: IBISWorld uses 5-digit codes; Gale Business Insights uses 6-digit codes
Core Research Components
SWOT Analysis
- Find company and industry SWOT analyses in:
- ABI/INFORM Collection
- Gale Business Insights
Market Size Research
Search Strategy: Use quotation marks around multi-word terms
Example: "market size" AND "cold plunge" or "market size" AND "golf club fitting"
- Best Databases:
- ABI/INFORM Collection
- Business Source Complete
- Gale Business Insights
Market Trends & Industry Forecasts
- IBISWorld (Primary recommendation)
- Enter your industry name or 5-digit NAICS code
- Navigate to "Performance" section for trends and projections
- Key subsections: "Performance Snapshot," "Current Performance," "Outlook"
- Gale Business Insights
- Click "Browse All Industries"
- Search by industry name or 6-digit NAICS code
- Access "Industry Reports" for overviews and predictions
Demographics & Psychographics
Demographics (age, income, education, location)
Search format: [your topic] AND demograph*
Example: "elderly care services" AND demograph*
Psychographics (attitudes, behaviors, beliefs)
Search format: [your topic] AND (psychograph* OR "consumer behavior*" OR "customer
attitude*" OR "buying behavior*")
Example: "athletic recovery" AND "consumer behavior"
- Best Databases:
- ABI/INFORM Collection
- Business Source Complete
- Proquest
Local & Current Information
Discover local market conditions, competitor activities, and emerging trends:
Billings Gazette Collection (local news)
Regional Business News & RBN Plus (regional coverage)
All business databases include news articles
Montana and Billings Resources
- Use these for local market context, benchmarks, and leads for primary research.
- Billings Chamber of Commerce: https://www.billingschamber.com/
- Big Sky Economic Development: https://bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org/
- https://commerce.mt.gov/Data-Research/
- https://dli.mt.gov/
- https://www.billingsmt.gov/184/CityCounty-Planning
- Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development:
https://commerce.mt.gov/Business/Programs-and-Services/Tourism-Marketing/Office-of-Tourism - Billings Economic Outlook: https://www.bls.gov/regions/mountain-plains/summary/blssummary_billings.pdf
Need Help?
- All Databases: https://rocky.edu/library/research-databases/business-and-accounting-databases/
- Get Things We Don’t Have: https://rocky.edu/library/interlibrary-loan/
- Contact the Library: library@rocky.edu
- Librarians are available for one-on-one research consultations to help you navigate databases,
develop search strategies, cite materials, and more
Contact Library
1511 Poly Drive Billings, MT 59102