Article
Research tools can assist in economic development tasks and other government applications (with related video)
Plunkett Research offers reports on specific industries, as well as comprehensive Internet-based subscriptions that provide millions of data points on hundreds of business sectors. The reports average 600 pages each. The firm’s Houston-based team of analysts generates the reports and data.
The firm publishes annual Industry Almanacs covering numerous industry sectors, such as retailing, transportation/logistics, InfoTech, biotechnology, manufacturing, health care and robotics. The Plunkett site offers five-minute video introductions to dozens of industries. 
“In both our printed and eBook Almanacs and our online system, we provide a unique set of data tools on an industry-specific basis,” said Jack W. Plunkett, CEO of Plunkett Research. “These tools include profiles of leading public and private companies, with executive contacts; industry statistical tables with market size and forecasts; an in-depth analysis of the major trends that are changing an industry; a database of industry associations and professional societies; and a glossary.”
Plunkett explained that users can quickly complete such tasks as searching for business prospects, finding data for a business plan or loan proposal, benchmarking or comparing individual companies, and studying the future potential of technologies, products and services.
According to Plunkett, cities and counties encourage local libraries to subscribe to the firm’s products so that the entire community can benefit from access, along with government agencies and local businesses.
Plunkett offered this list of ways that governments use his firm’s data:
Local Job Training Partnership Act and workforce development offices can use Plunkett Research data to research and target employers and industries.
Business development officers at municipal utilities use Plunkett to understand trends and companies within industries when they are prospecting for customers.
Transportation Department and airport officials rely on his firm’s data for business and consumer trends analysis in various transportation sectors.
Budget departments can use Plunkett while analyzing the local business and employment base in order to determine future business growth rates and needs. The Industry Analytics tool within Plunkett Research Online is useful for this, since it forecasts growth rates to the year 2021 for hundreds of specific industry sectors.
Many types of public/private partnerships could benefit from Plunkett data, such as real estate developers needing statistical data.
The video offers a quick walk-through of Plunkett Analytics Reports. The product offers financial analysis and benchmarking of all major U.S. industry sectors.
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