Business databases aren't just academic resources—they're powerful decision-making engines driving strategy across industries. Here's how major companies are putting these information powerhouses to work:

Strategic Intelligence & Innovation

  • Lockheed Martin Aeronautics uses CB Insights to identify potential partners and map their venture capital portfolio, growing it fourfold in just four years.
  • General Mills leverages Mintel Reports in the early stages of innovation, analyzing consumer texture and flavor preferences to develop new products.
  • DuPont relies on BCC Research to understand industry drivers in wearable medical devices, monitoring B2B market activity by region and tracking specific technology transformations.

Market Research & Expansion

  • Gorilla Glue purchased Mintel's "Impact of Covid-19 on DIY" report before launching products in Italy, strategically targeting specific retailers based on market insights.
  • Google partnered with Euromonitor to analyze physical retail, e-commerce, and marketplace sales across ten developed markets, projecting market share momentum among leading brands.
  • Horizon Media uses IBISWorld Industry Reports to quickly understand emerging markets and develop tailored brand and marketing strategies for niche segments.

Due Diligence & Investment

  • Fifth Wall relies on PitchBook for due diligence, identifying startups' fundraising dates, valuations, and contact information for potential investments.
  • Countybank in South Carolina uses IBISWorld's industry analysis to compile credit memos for SBA lending and prepare credible talking points for client conversations.
  • Whittaker Associates leverages PitchBook to track funds and their investments, observing the "flow of capital into emerging spaces" and identifying executives at top companies.

Marketing & Customer Engagement

  • Mediacom has used Mintel Trends for over a decade to understand how consumers adapt to new technologies and map the customer "purchase journey."
  • Marriott International partnered with Data Axle to analyze their rewards email program, launching a "Year in Review" storyline that significantly boosted customer engagement.
  • Autodesk contracted with Statista to develop compelling data-driven storylines about the future of the construction industry, bringing "big data to life" with isometric visualization styles.

These real-world applications demonstrate how business databases have evolved beyond simple information repositories into essential strategic assets that drive competitive advantage across the private sector. 

See for yourself how useful these databases are: examine most of the above listed here among our A-Z list: https://libraries.usc.edu/locations/gaughan-tiberti-library/business-databases