Finding Company-Specific Policies and Practices
This can be challenging! Why? Most employers are not required to make their policies and practices available to the public (unless they are a government agency). Publicly-traded companies are required to file some information with the Securities and Exchange Commission, but much of this is financial with less focus on policies and practices. It may be difficult to find any information about private companies. You will need to be patient and try various strategies for finding company-specific policies and practices.
1. Company web sites
2. Company directories, profiles, and Annual Reports
3. Article Databases (newspapers, magazines and journals)
4. Practitioner Policy and Practice Databases
5. Practitioner newsletters
6. "Insider" Guides
7. Books!
8. Contact the company
1. Go to the company's web site. If you do not find policies online, look for a contact name and send them an e-mail explaining your project.
2. Company directories, profiles, and Annual Reports.
Hoovers.com
This site provides a general overview of company, industry, competitors and helps to identify whether a company is private or public.
SOCRATES (ILR only)
Profiles for over 3000 companies; Focuses on social profile of company
Innovest iRatings analytics portal
Innovest Strategic Value Advisors is an internationally recognized investment research and advisory firm specializing in analyzing companies' performance on intangible value factors such as environmental, social, and strategic governance management, and how such factors impact competitiveness, profitability, and share price performance.
Thomson Research
This site contains mostly financial information, including Annual Reports and 10-Ks.
Business and Company Resource Center
The Center provides company histories, rankings, and articles along with profile and financial information, as well as an industry overview and links to related associations.
Lexis (Academic - Campus version)
Choose "Business" from left hand menu to see options.
NewsBank Newsfile
A selective full-text news resource containing over 70,000 articles annually from more than 500 newspapers and other news sources, including the Ithaca journal from 1992.
Lexis (ILR menu)
This site requires a login that can be obtained at the Catherwood Reference Desk. Once inside, choose the News and Business tab / Company & Financial folder.
Almanac of American Employers
ILR Reference, Call Number: HF5382.75.U6 P486
(also available on CD-ROM and in Business Source Premier)
This publication includes company profiles, including number of women and minority employees, benefits, competitive advantage, and can sometimes identify unique company policies.
Organization Chart Collection
ILR Reference, Call Number: HD 2741 .C57
This resource provides an insider's look at the actual structures of nearly 300 leading corporations in 16 major industries.
3. Article Databases
HINT #1: The hardest part about searching these databases is matching your keywords to the subject terms that are actually used to categorize articles. Different terms may be used by different databases. For example: "human resource management" vs. "personnel management"; "job evaluation" vs. "performance appraisal"; "employee selection" vs. "recruitment." Pay attention to the terms listed as subject headings in each record! You may also use terms such as "case studies", "best practice", "benchmarking", "surveys", and "trends".
HINT #2: Many databases have an "Advanced Search" option. This will allow you to type a Company name in one search box (and select to search the "company" field) and to type relevant HR terms (See Hint #1) in the second search box.
Business Source Premier
Select "Advanced Search".
Type company name and then select "CO Company Entity" from the drop-down menu.
In next search box, type relevant HR subject terms
ABI/Inform
Select "Advanced Search".
Type Company name and then select "Company/Org" from the drop-down menu.
In next search box, type relevant HR subject terms.
Factiva
Uses a tool called "Intelligent Indexing", which combinesthe company's name with subject terms. Use the search box or browse lists to find matching company and subject terms.
Lexis (Academic - Campus version)
Choose "Business" from left hand menu to see searching options.
Lexis (ILR menu)
Requires login that can be obtained at the Catherwood Library Reference Desk.
Choose News and Business tab; search all types of news to find references to your company -- combine company name with relevant HR terms. The site can also be used to search industry specific news by choosing the Market and Industry folder.
Emerald
This resources is especially useful for finding information about international or multinational companies.
4. Practitioner Policy and Practice Databases
BNA's Human Resource Library
Type your company name into the Search box at the top center of home page. You will get any results that include your company name, which could range from company policies to legal cases to references in newsletter articles.
CCH Research NetWork
Click on the Tab for "Human Resources Management". Put a checkmark next to "All Sources" for the News and CCH Explanations categories. Type your company name in the box at top of page.
HR Advisor
This online service provides comprehensive content for Human Resources professionals. The service includes practical “take action” solutions, model policies, tips, strategies, and up-to-date information to reinforce present policies and procedures. Ask for assistance with username/password at Catherwood Reference Desk.
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 200,000 individual members, the Society's mission is to serve the needs of HR professionals by providing the most essential and comprehensive resources available. Ask for assistance with username/password at Catherwood Reference Desk. Some material is free, some is proprietary and requires login.
5. Practitioner Newsletters
BNA's Human Resources Report
Click "Search" button at top left of page. Type in company name.
6. "Insider" Guides
Vault
Job seekers and professionals have discovered that Vault is the Internet's ultimate destination for insider company information, advice, and career management services.
WetFeet
Since 1994, job seekers have trusted WetFeet to help them research careers, search for jobs, write better resumes and prepare for interviews.
7. Books
Search the Library Catalog for books or reports about the company. Choosing the Guided Keyword search option and entering the company name is a great place to start.
8. Contact the Company
Contact the company and explain your class project. Sometimes they will send you examples of company policies. For contact information, use the resources described above. For specific HR contacts, try the resources listed on our Reference Question of the Month, "How can I identify human resources personnel at a particular company/organization?"
