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COMM 3062: Integrated communication planning

2. Plan your search

Before you start searching for information think about your organisation

For this example we are using Boost Juice

Is your organisation:
1. Australian or international? Boost Juice is Australian
2. Private, public or non profit? Boost Juice is private company 
3. What industry? Boost Juice falls under the 'Miscellaneous Food Stores' industry
4. Owned by a parent company? Yes, owned by a parent company - Boost Juice is a subsidiary of Retail Zoo Pty Ltd

Tips:

  • Visit your organisation's website and spend time exploring. Look for things like 'about us', 'our story', 'our company' to find out more.

Public versus private companies:
Public companies are listed and traded on a stock exchange whereas private companies are not listed. Also, public companies must provide annual reports to the public which makes them easier to research.

Not sure if it is public or private?

  • Do a web search for your company's website. They often provide information about themselves under a section such as 'About us'.
  • Search for the company on the Australian stock exchange.

Company and Industry Information- quick guide

The library has a range of search tools, such as company and industry databases, to help you locate relevant information. Here are some key databases you can search:

Find company information
Are you looking for? Is the company...? Try these databases:
Australian Public
Private
Government bodies
Non-profit organisations
International
(may contain some
Australian content)		 Public
Private
Find industry information
Are you looking for? Try these databases:
Australian
International
(May contain some
Australian content)

For more information on how to search the specific databases go to the Company and industry information guide.

Key news databases

To find media coverage about your organisation or the industry you are researching try searching in one of these databases:

​ NewsBank Newspapers                                          
​ Australian & New Zealand newsstream
​ Informit EduTV
​ TV News

SWOT analysis

SWOT analysis diagram

SWOT Analysis is a model that analyses an organisation's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It can help identify what the organisation is doing well and what needs improvement.

Have a look at these sites for help with conducting a SWOT analysis:

Statistics and social media reports

Statista: The Leading Statistics Portal includes:

  • Industry statistics from market, trade, scientific, and government sources
  • Free to publish charts in presentations, website and marketing materials
  • Infographics and downloadable diagrams
  • Social Media - Statistics & Facts including a dossier on social media usage worldwide available to download


   Watch the Statista Tutorial on Search Functionality
   (opens in new window)

Social Media Reports

Further assignment help

The Student Engagement Unit has created a suite of resources called Study Help that can help you understand different assignment types and study skills.

There is also a Writing your assignment page that can also assist you with interpreting your topic and planning your search

Studiosity offers assistance with academic writing, referencing, maths, business studies and more. Use the online chat or submit work for feedback.

Support material

There are many free websites you can use to create professional looking content quickly.

Canva allows you to create your own designs or use one of the large variety of templates including:

For more info try a Tutorial

TIP: Avoid using images or templates with a $ or crown icon as they are not free

Referencing support

Other referencing support tools:

What do you do with all those references you have found?

Use bibliographic management software to store, organise and cite your references. The Library supports the bibliographic management tool EndNote. There are also many free systems available.