How-To
Trade Publications
Trade publications feature real-life stories from different industries. Examples include learn how to select menu items, arrange capital funding, renovate a historic building, profit margins for food in movie theatres and many more topics.
ABI Inform Global - Good database for marketing news and trade publications detailing the details of running specific small businesses. Be sure to select the trade publications tab.
Business Source (Open the source types on the left to select trade pubs)
InfoTrac Small Business Collection - Trade business sources detailing the nuts and bolts of running specific kinds of businesses. Be sure to select the magazines tab (see below)
Small Business Reference Center - A lot of great information, Including business plans and trade publication articles about real life experiences of small business owners.
Ratios
Ratio books give industry averages for costs, profitability, inventory and other measurements. Find out what to expect and how to measure yourself.
Online
eStatement Studies - Online version of RMA Annual Statement Studies
All current ratio book are located on the Reference Business Table on third floor
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios.