WMU Research Guides: MKTG 3710: Marketing Research: Atkin

Citing Business Sources (Articles, Annual Reports, Mintel, IBIS, etc.)

APA 7th ed. Citation for Business Sources
Schemm, N., Dellenbach, M., Grisham, Z., Hageman, M., Tingle, N., Trowbridge, M., & Wheatley, A. (2020). APA 7th ed. citation for business sources. https://bit.ly/APA7business

Library Databases

Chat GPT Strategy

ABI/INFORM Collection (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
The ABI/INFORM Collection is an essential database for marketing students seeking scholarly and industry-specific resources. It offers access to a vast array of articles, reports, and case studies on consumer behavior, advertising strategies, and digital marketing trends. For students researching how to market bars to Gen Z college students, ABI/INFORM provides valuable insights into generational preferences, social media influence, and emerging market trends. Additionally, the database includes trade journals that offer practical, real-world perspectives from industry professionals, making it a useful tool for understanding current marketing practices.
ABI stands for Abstracted Business Information. There was a database building project going on at the University of Wisconsin named Inform and the creators of ABI obtained the Inform software, materials, and customer list. Therefore, the name became ABI/INFORM.
Global Data Explorer (formerly MarketLine) This link opens in a new window
Bars--transactions per outlet
Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
This service from Google searches scholarly literature, including articles, theses, books and technical reports, and "gray literature" from many areas of research. Some materials are free, some will be available to WMU users by clicking on "Article Linker" while others may require a fee. Use this source in addition to library databases for a more complete search of scholarly literature.
To enable links from the "Find it@WMU" from off-campus computers, follow these instructions or watch a video tutorial :

1. Go to Google Scholar.
2. Click on the "options" wheel in the top right corner.
3. Select "Library Links" from menu on the left side.
4. In the "Library Links" search box, type "Western Michigan University Libraries".
5. Click the checkbox next to "Western Michigan University Libraries (ArticleLinker)".
6. Click the "Save".
8. A link to "ArticleLinker" should now appear next to those citations that are available electronically from the Libraries.

Linking Google Scholar to WMU from off Campus

IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
Recent Reports: Bars & Nightclubs in the US; Per Capita Expenditure on Alcohol
Mintel US Reports This link opens in a new window
Recent Reports: Foodservice Alcohol Trends; American Lifestyles; Marketing to Gen Z
MRI Simmons This link opens in a new window
On the Homepage click on College Student or 21 to 29 Years Old in the My Reports section

In MRI-Simmons, an index number is a measure of how likely a target is to meet a specific criterion in relation to a base. The base is set to 100, which is considered average. The index number can be used to determine if the target is more or less likely to meet the criterion, and if the likelihood is significant:

90–110: Flat
<90 or >110: Significant
Over 100: More likely to meet the criterion
Under 100: Less likely to meet the criterion