Transcript Click to add title

Baker Library
Field Study Research
Ann Cullen
Fall, 2005
Curriculum Services
Contact: [email protected]
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Reason for today’s workshop:
1. Provide a strategy in planning your
research.
2. Help you think about the questions to
ask in probing your topic and what
resources Baker has to answer those
questions.
3. Highlight extensive resources available
to you.
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Research strategy:
The Basics:
• Company information
• Industry information
• Market research data
You can get basic guidance for this in:
• Electronic Resources Guide
• Industry Research Guide
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Research strategy beyond the “basics”:
Explore a new business opportunity or idea:
• Search in article databases (Factiva and ABI)
• Try the Baker Online Catalog (for books!)
Find statistics and demographic data:
• Use the Baker Research Guides
• i.e. Statistics Guide or Demographics and Consumer Behavior Guide
Find a network of contacts in a company or industry:
•
•
•
•
HBS Alumni Navigator at my.hbs
Executive listings in company information databases – i.e. Capital IQ, Orbis, ZoomInfo
Trade Associations, Conferences and Trade shows – i.e. Trade Show News Network
Industry trade magazines and directories – listed in Baker Research Guides
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Some Sources for packaged Market
Research reports at Baker
- Global Market Information Database [Euromonitor]
- Onesource
- Forrester Research [focused on Tech/Media]
- Frost and Sullivan Online
- Mintel
- Jupiter Communications [focused on Tech/Media]
- Datamonitor [in Orbis and Factiva]
- ISI Emerging Markets – see Industry Tab
Where are they? In Baker Research Guides and All Databases List
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
ISI Emerging Markets – see Industry Tab
Report found:
“China: Outlook of Video
Services in Broadband Era”
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Sample Field Study Search:
“Analysis of Business
Opportunities in the Video
Game Market”
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Important questions to ask when exploring this
topic:
• What are some of the major companies in this market? In the U.S.?
Globally?
• What general industry sector and sectors encompass this market?
• Who are the target customers in this market? What are their needs
and expectations?
• What products and services do they buy today to meet those needs
and what price are they willing to pay?
• What is the size of the market today? How will it change in the
future?
• What are the key channels to market and how do you expect these
channels to change in the future?
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Where should you look first?
Electronic Resources Guide
Industry Research Guide
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Sample Resources from the Industry Research
Guide for industry overviews:
• S&P Industry Surveys - these reports tell you how
the industry is organized and how to analyze it
- “Broadcasting and Cable” industry report retrieved in
search
• Investext - provides reports from investment banks
and investment research firms on a company or
industry [no extra charge for reports!]
- “Video Game Industry” report retrieve in search
- Title search: video game*
- Report Type: Industry reports only
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Additional questions for this topic:
1.
How much do consumers spend on video games in the U.S.?
What is the size of the video game market and how has it
changed?
2.
What are some of the leading video games?
3.
What are the key issues to consider in approaching this type of
business?
4.
Where is the US video game market going?
5.
What are some recent trends in terms of portable games on
cell phones?
6.
How do I find a contact at Sony?
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Where would you look?
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Resources used:
1.
d. “Media Usage and Consumer Spending 1998-2006”
(from Statistical Universe found in Harvard E-Research)
2.
e. “United States top nine video games…”(from Tablebase
found in All Databases List)
3.
c. eBook called Game Design: the art & business of creating
games (found in Harvard’s Main Catalog)
4.
b. “US Console Games Forecast, 2005 to 2010,” a Jupiter Market
Research Report (found in Baker Library Information
Technology Research Guide)
5.
a. Articles from a search in an article database (Factiva)
- search for terms: (portable game*) and (cell phone*)
6.
f. HBS Alumni Database at my.hbs.edu
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
And finally…Key Tips on Using HBS Baker
and other Harvard Univ. Databases
- Database Passwords – will tell you if resources need
extra passwords or Harvard PIN; also searching tips,
database trouble-shooting.
- No extra charge for reports [i.e. Investext]
- Always use database’s indexing and “Advanced Search”
Features
- Numerous download formats often available
- Where did the information come from? – feel free to ask
the librarians about data sources
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Review of basic points covered today:
• Company and Industry Research Guides
• Using article databases and books to explore an idea.
• Baker Research Guides on various industry and topic
categories will lead you to sources for various types of
information, including statistics, demographics, and more.
• Locating Contacts: Baker Resources and HBS alumni
navigator database can help!
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Still need help?
Contact a Baker librarian:
• In person! (see hours at our Web site)
• By email: [email protected] (You can also
make an appointment for a more in-depth
research consultation.)
• By phone: 617-495-6040
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
And don’t forget:
• Keep track of your sources in detail (name of the publication,
publisher, author, date, page numbers).
• Follow the Citation Guide for HBS Students
http://www.library.hbs.edu/helpsheets/citationguide.pdf
• Our Copyright and Licensing policies are outlined at
http://www.library.hbs.edu/copyright_restrictions.html
• Additional Information for MBAs on Using Baker
http://www.library.hbs.edu/resources_mba.html
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
For Your Review:
This presentation with transcript available at the
Field-Based Learning website
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College
Thank You!
(Any questions?)
Ann Cullen – [email protected]
Copyright 2004 President & Fellows Harvard College