Support your proposal with information on current best practices, trends, and research. Tip:
Use the library databases ProQuest and Academic Search Complete to search for articles within trade publications.
Do an initial search and then limit at Source Type to "Trade Journals." In some databases, you can select Trade before you search.
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In the screenshot of a search in ProQuest database, I can limit to trade on the initial search screen.
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Step back and search for information on the issues impacting your consulting site, even if they are not specifically about your site.
In the case below, I know that REI has struggled financially for several years and has undergone several rounds of layoffs. Therefore, I searched for trade articles on employee morale and layoffs. I was looking for information on how to support remaining employees.
Search in Academic Search Complete with the keywords: employees AND morale OR job satisfaction OR attitude AND layoffs.
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Sample article: "Most Employees Say They're Burned Out and Restless, Leading to Lower Engagement"
The article description points to suggestions on how to improve employee morale.
The search below explored resources on community colleges, veterans, and needed services and programs.
Keywords: community colleges OR two year colleges AND veterans
Article: Armed with Education
The Abstract hints at two key issues for the success of veteran students: credit for prior learning and experience and mental health support.
Look for trade articles that address your specific site. Keep in mind that you may find nothing current enough or at all.
Example one: An excerpt from a "SWOT Analysis" of Starbucks. A SWOT Analysis is a document outlining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing a company. Clearly that information is useful for formulating a plan to move forward.
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Example Two: An article from the trade journal, Retail Dive, on REI closing its experience business.
Retail Dive reports in the Jan. 2025 article, "REI Shutters Experiences Business, Eliminating Hundreds of Jobs":
“When we look at the all-up costs of running this business, including costs like marketing and technology, we are losing millions of dollars every year and subsidizing Experiences with profits from other parts of the business,” Artz said. “Even at our peak in 2019 —our best year for Experiences ever —we did not generate a profit.” Although REI is shuttering the business for now, Artz said he believes the retailer has a place in education and local PDF GENERATED BY PROQUEST.COM Page 1 of 3 communities in the future and is funding a small team to explore other options for classes in 2025. The company’s local marketing teams will also be reincorporated into the larger organization.
Trade and Professional publications are the journals and magazines written for people who work in an industry or profession.
They are a great resource to learn about:
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