Competitive Analysis Checklist

Here's a quick list to review for information you might need or want about a company when you are gathering together information for a project. Many of these items can be found through the various help guides found on the site: Business Subject Guides. Keep in mind these three important questions when starting a research project:

1. What do I need to understand about my target company?
2. What information or data will help me arrive at that understanding?
3. What will I do with the information once I have it?

Background Information

• Company Ownership
• Company History
• Background of Key Management

Financial Information

• Total Company Revenues
• Assessment of Overall Profitability

Facility Information

• Number of Company Facilities
• Detailed Information on Major Facilities
• Location of Facilities
• Size of Facilities
• Age of Facilities
• Recent/Planned Expansion of Major Facilities

Employment Information

• Total Number of Employees
• Number of Employees by Major Job Classification
• Collective Bargaining Agreements

Product/Service Line Information

• Description of Major or Minor Company Product Lines
• Sales by Company Product Line

Marketing Information

• Major Markets Served by Company
• Market Share in Major Markets
• Major Customers Served, by Market

Distribution Information

• Major Distribution Channels Used by Company
• Volume by Major Distribution Channel

Sales Force Information

• Size of Company Sales Force
• Organization of Sales Force
• Method of Compensating Sales Force

Strategic Direction of Company

• Direction of new Product Development Efforts
• Direction of new Market Development Efforts