Commerce Research Library: Supply Chain Research: Supply Chain Overview

Introduction

Supply chains refer to the flow of goods and services, including all the processes that transform raw materials into final product. Firms try to establish secure and efficient supply chains for their products in order to maximize their profitability as well as prevent major disruptions to production. Understanding potential threats to the supply chains of both suppliers and customers is an essential component of risk management.

The Commerce Research Library’s primary resource for performing supply chain analysis is the library’s Bloomberg Terminal. There are several Bloomberg functions that deal with aspects of supply chain analysis, as shown in the other tabs.

Beyond Bloomberg we have a number of database that can be useful to locate articles, financial reports and other sources of information in order to find the data you need.

In addition to this guide, you may be interested in the research guide specific to company research.

Non-Bloomberg Resources

D&B Hoovers This link opens in a new window
For access, request an account. Public and private company profiles and research on both domestic and international companies. Users can search by company name, industry (keyword and NAICS or SIC codes), geographical region, employee and revenue size, and corporate family tree.
Bureaus billed back by ID. Access is limited to HCHB staff, ITA regional, and BEA regional offices
Statista This link opens in a new window
Request an account. This easy-to-use platform pulls stats from multiple sources so you can quickly get a rundown on an industry or topic. Sources include market reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases. Save time researching with intelligent search and one-stop downloadable charts, reports, and more. Go right to the Global Supply Chain Management page.
Thomas Register Directory This link opens in a new window
Thomas Register Directory provided by ThomasNet is an industrial search tool that provides one source for finding products, services, or suppliers. Includes: 500,000 + supplier profiles, 300,000 + articles and white papers and 10 million + CAD drawings.
Uniworld Online This link opens in a new window
Uniworld Online is a searchable database that covers multinational companies with headquarters in over 200 countries and 20,000 industries. With Uniworld Online, you’ll find contact information for headquarters, subsidiaries, and branches of multinational firms with offices in another country.