It is important early in the research process to identify industry classification codes for your chosen industry because information about companies and industries is organized around those codes. Business information is published using North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and/or Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes.
NOTE: Establishments can operate in more than one category, especially when they provide a variety of goods and services. You may find a primary code with a number of secondary codes in connection with one business.
You may also see discrepancies among primary and secondary codes, depending on the publisher. A SIC or NAICS code that an establishment might choose, or otherwise appear on an economic census form, may be entirely different from what a publisher of business information may have selected to identify that business.
Continue on to Step 2 to find industry overviews.
