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Business Subject Guide

Learn about key library resources for studying business

Corporate governance and accounting information

When looking for information about a company, such as who is the ultimate owner, what are the strategic aims of the company, who is on the board of directors, then reviewing the corporate governance documents of the company will be your first stop. 

This type of information is often on the company's own website under a tab or footer menu called something like 'Investor Relations' or 'About Us' or 'Our Business'.  This is because in many countries, including the UK, companies have a legal obligation to openly publish governance documentation when they are a public company. It can be more difficult to locate this kind of information where companies are private companies or are registered in certain other jurisdictions. 

The following websites can help you locate company information where you have been unable to locate it on the company's own website: 

Company analysis

The Library subscribes to a number of business information databases which will allow you to search for more detailed information and analysis about a company than may be available openly on the company's website or through government sites. These databases can provide overviews of a company's history and objectives, as well as allowing searches to be run for data such as employee numbers and financial performance.   

If you live in Scotland you also have the option to register for free access to a number of business databases available through the National Library of Scotland, including D & B Hoovers a database that provides in-depth profiles of almost 120 million companies worldwide, plus market research and business news. 

Business case studies

You can search for business case studies using Business Source Complete:

  1. Select the 'Advanced Search' option from below the main search box
  2. Input the phrase "case studies" into the first search box and change the 'select a field' drop down box to 'SU Subject Terms'
  3. Complete the other search boxes with relevant keywords or phrases, leaving the 'select a field' drop-down menu at its default or changing to 'TX All Text'