Demographics & Consumer Behavior
A great starting place for demographics and consumer behavior research; this guide points to the best resources available to the HBS community.
- General Demographics
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United Nations: Demographic and Social Statistics
Demographic characteristics of countries. See also Population-Environment Research Network, a research organization covering global population density and the environment.U.S. Census Bureau
Demographic characteristics, total population, social, and economic census data for the U.S. and international locations. Useful in determining market size. To generate data by subject, ethnic groups, or geographical locations use the American FactFinder.U.S. Census Bureau: International Statistical Agencies
List of statistical agencies in different countries for local demographics.World Development Indicators
Country demographic information at the national level. - Business Demographics
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Bureau of Labor Statistics
Various statistics and reports on labor related topics such as business cost, salary and wages, employee benefits, and occupational outlook and projections.Super Yellow Pages
Useful for screening small local businesses. Searchable by category, keyword and geography.U.S. Census Bureau: Business & Industry
Business and industry economic statistics by geography and by survey/frequency.U.S. Census Bureau: County Business Patterns
Annual economic data by industry in small areas of the country. - Consumer Lifestyle and Buying Power
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American Incomes: Demographics of Who Has Money
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Household income trends by age, household type, race and Hispanic origin, education, region, and work status. The New Strategist Publications contain more on "who spends how much on what."Bureau of Labor Statistics
Demographic characteristics of labor force, spending and time use, and geographic profiles of employment and unemployment.Sourcebook of Zip Code Demographics
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Includes population demographics; current-year estimates and five-year projections, business data: total businesses, total employment, and the dominant industry in each Zip Code, consumer spending; indexes of spending potential for 20 product and service categories, and "Tapestry Segmentation"; the dominant tapestry segment for each Zip Code and segment description.Research alert yearbook : ... year in review
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Ref. HF5415.33.U6 R47 in the Stamps Reading Room.
Facts on spending, attitudes and demographics sourced from hundreds of reports, studies, polls and focus groups, all organized by topic.Sales & Marketing Management
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A journal that includes reports and surveys. Note: Ceased publication in 2010.See also Databases by Content Type: Analyst & Research Reports which include useful information on trends in consumer markets.
See also Where can I get consumer information on baby boomers and other generations?
- Consumer Behavior and Culture
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International Journal of Consumer Studies
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Published quarterly. Articles focus on goods and services, family and social studies, consumer issues, and home economics.Journal of International Consumer Marketing
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Published 6 times per year. Academic publication for marketers to understand how people behave as consumers.Journal of Consumer Research
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Published quarterly. Features scholarly research that describes and explains consumer behavior.Journal of Contemporary Ethnography
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Published bimonthly. Current research on human behavior in natural settings and everyday experiences. Includes ethnographic methods, book reviews, and symposium reviews.Journal of Popular Culture
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Published quarterly. Focuses on popular culture and how it fits into the workings of society.PsychINFO
Find research studies on consumer behavior, choice behavior, consumer attitudes, brand preferences, and more.See also Where can I find browsing and buying behavior of Internet users?, and How do I find data on consumer demographics and buying behavior?
- Careers, Associations and Events
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Careers
HBS MBA students please see MBA Career & Professional Development.
HBS Alumni please see Alumni Career & Professional Development.See also What resources can I use for networking?
Associations
Association for Consumer Research (ACR)
Provides free access to newsletter, papers, and presentations from conferences and ACR-Listserv.Encyclopedia of Associations
Provides profiles for industry and nonprofit membership organizations worldwide.See also Where can I find associations for an industry or profession?
Events
See also How can I find conferences and trade shows for a given industry?.
Harvard Resources
- HBS Working Knowledge: Consumer Behavior
- HBS Faculty Interested in Consumer Behavior
- Center for Geographic Analysis