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Sir Alex Ferguson Library Guides

Company and industry information

Introduction to UK and Global business sources

When researching a company or an industry there is a wide range of sources you can use:

  • Business and financial news
  • Company profiles
  • Case studies and business plans
  • Business sector reports
  • Country profiles

This guide explains what these sources are and where you can find them.  Before starting your search it is important to note that the type and amount of information you can find on a company or industry can vary widely. Usually the bigger the company, the easier it is to find information. However, the structure of a company can also influence how much information  will be available.

Man reading business newspaper

UK Company structure

UK companies can be:

  • small privately-owned 'sole traders', for example a local business
  • large privately owned , for example Boots
  • publicly owned companies which are responsible to shareholders, for example Tesco

Most UK companies are 'sole traders' or small and medium enterprises (SMEs) employing fewer than 250 people. 

Large UK public companies usually make their annual company reports available on their website.

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