Industry data sources cover groups of organizations involved in similar business activities - airlines, soft drinks, sporting goods, etc. Many resources organize information using industrial classification codes - NAICS & SIC. Here is a separate Industry Classification guide which explains the codes and how to identify them.
Industry reports contain valuable analysis of an industry's operating conditions, driving forces, competitive landscapes, and more. Use these resources to help you identify and define an industry, locate industry surveys and reports, search for industry trends, identify leading companies, find market share data and rankings, get current and in-depth news about an industry, and much more. Be aware that many do not cover smaller niche industries and always check the date to see how current the information is. Supplement these reports with information found in newspapers and trade publications.
Trade and professional association websites often contain trends and forecasts, news, government regulations, regulatory concerns, and new technological developments. Some may provide market data and sales statistics; look for links called "research" or "data."
Use the Associations tab on this guide, or use IBISWorld and industry reports in ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry to identify trade associations.