Below we offer some useful and reputable starting points for conducting industry and market research. These resources are available in the public domain. Their focus is largely within a North American context.
Often the big consulting firms provide reports and information on industry insights and trends. Follow the links below and navigate to the 'Industry' section of each website.
Why are associations useful for market research?
Professional and trade associations are often very good resources for industry and market research.
Many professional and trade associations publish magazines known as trade journals. Articles in trade journals or magazines are especially helpful when conducting industry and market research, as these publications focus on specific trades, professions, or industries, and include current information on industry trends, new products, techniques, and organizational news.
How to search for associations:
To identify associations of relevance to a product or service you are investigating, Google can be very useful for searches (e.g. searches such as automotive and association and canada, or bankers and association and canada). Alternatively, these online searchable directories may be used: