Whitepapers are reports put together by consultants that include analysis of trends, forecasts, data, and business recommendations on a given topic or industry. Consulting firms work with major companies to help develop strategies to gain a competitive advantage and solve real-world business problems.
Some of the top consulting firms include:
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Along with these larger firms, you can also look into boutique firms focused more closely on a specific industry.
The best way to locate whitepapers is via the open web - no need to use library databases, since they are freely available. While you can begin your search directly on a firm's website, the best way to locate whitepapers is via a targeted Google search.
To build your search, first establish your keywords related to the industry you're researching. Next, use the "inurl" operator and add a specific consulting firm. See example searches below:
Keep your searches simple (like the examples above) so you don't miss valuable sources.
If you need to filter your results down, try using the "tools" menu and limiting to a set time period:
Only search for one firm at a time. You can repeat your search, switching out the firm names each time to get whitepapers from multiple sources.
Examples and content adapted from Klopper, S.M. (2023). Consulting firm whitepapers: A must for a business researcher's toolkit. Academic Brass, (18)2.
