Some of the information you will find out about Southwest will include:
- The company and it's competitors
- The main industry players, their websites and financial information
- Market shares
- Trends in the industry
- Current news from newspapers, magazines, journals, and trade journals
Before doing any research, decide what it is you need to find out,
and develop
clear concise questions. For example,
instead of saying "I need information on Southwest Airlines to
do a market analysis", you might break this down into the following
specific questions/needs:
- Who are Southwest's primary competitors?
- Need their Web site addresses.
- Need 10Ks.
- What are their similarities with regard to size and market strategies?
- What are their differences with regard to size and market strategies?
- What are the market shares for the leading airlines?
- Who is/are Southwest's primary target market(s)?
- What are Southwest's primary products and services?
- Need a basic profile of the airline industry.
- Industry outlook.
- Industry trends.
As you start to locate information, you may come up with other
questions. Make sure there is a reason for finding all of
the information you are searching; make sure it is relevant.You
might start by writing out a list of questions and stating reasons
why you need this information. If you can't think of a reason
why you need the information, you probably don't need it.
These tools will provide a basic overview of industry, market, and
company.
- Encyclopedia of American Industries Reference
Table 6 HC102 .E53 1998
Volume I covers Manufacturing Industries, and Volume II covers Service and
Non-manufacturing Industries. Both volumes arranged by SIC code. Entries
include an industry snapshot, organization and structure, background and
development, current conditions, and industry leaders. Also includes a bibliography
for further reading.
- Market Share Reporter Reference Table 6
HF5410.M35
Covers product and service categories in all industries. Data is obtained
from trade journals, new letters, business magazines, and newspapers, and
analysts' reports. Arrangement is by 2-digit SIC grouping, with indexes by
subject, company, geographic area, and information source.
- Moody's/Mergent Industry Review Reference
Table 6 HG 4961 .M68
Provides comparative financial data by industry for approximately 3,500 companies.
- Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
Analysis of current and historical trends on an industry basis. Current edition
available online via Standard & Poor's
NetAdvantage
- U.S. Industry and Trade Outlook Reference
Table 6 Govt Doc C 61:48
Includes hundreds of industry reviews, analyses, and forecasts for a wide
range of industries.
- Reuters
Business Insight
Includes market reports from five industry sectors: consumer goods, energy,
finance, healthcare, and e-commerce/technology.
For a complete list of reference books, internet sources, and databases
on company & industry research, consult the Company & Industry
Information website.
Some business periodicals have special issues dedicated to airline/aerospace
issues. A few of these include:
- Aerospace America (available via LexisNexis)
January issue: Forecast issue: aerospace industry forecast
December issue: Aerospace: The Year in Review (review
of all aspects of the arospace industry)
- Aviation Week & Space Technology (available
via LexisNexis)
November issue: International Air Transport
(world's leading airlines)
- Air Transport World (available via ABI/INFORM
Global)
January issue: World Airline Traffic Forecast
February issue: ATW Awards "Airline of the Year"
1974) ???
April issue: Airline Food Costs
June issue: World Airline Report (U.S. & Foreign
Airline operations) 1963
October issue: International Air Transport Association
Report (financial & traffic data on world airlines)
November issue: Airline Maintenance Survey
- Crain's Cleveland Business (available via LexisNexis)
July issue: top airlines
- Crain's Detroit Business (available via LexisNexis)
September issue: Top Airlines
- Crain's New York Business (available via LexisNexis)
September issue: Top Airlines
- Interavia Aerospace Review
October issue: World Airline Leaders (world's top airlines
classified by region, includes executive information, traffic data,
principle routes, fleet makeup, and fiscal data- 1952)
Books
about Southwest or the Airline Industry
These are located on the 2nd floor and may be checked out.
- Customer service : extraordinary results at Southwest
Airlines, Charles Schwab, Lands' End, American Express, Staples,
and USAA. HF5415.5.C844 1998
Case studies in customer service.
- Management mistakes and successes HD38.H3488
2000
Includes a section entitled 'Southwest Airlines: finding a strategic
window of opportunity'.
- Hidden value : how great companies achieve extraordinary
results with ordinary people HD70.U5O69 2000
Includes a section entitled 'Southwest Airlines: if success is
so simple, why is it so hard to imitate?'.
- The airline business in the twenty-first century
HE9762.D64 2001
- The Southwest Airlines way : using the power of relationships
to achieve high performance HE9803.S68G58 2003
