The hottest business research question these days, at least north of the 49th parallel, is whether a company or brand is Canadian. Defining "Canadian" can often be difficult (polite? open to multiculturalism? likes hockey?), but one would think it would be a straightforward yes/no answer when it comes to businesses and brands. Sadly, as is so often the case, it's usually more complex than we expect or want.

Consider the following news item from CBC: Is Tim Hortons Canadian? The author does a great job of digging through Tim's history & current situation to try to determine the company's "home" country...

<Read on for random musings on researching such topics, as well as for tips and guides.>

I'm pleased to report that we've renewed our Financial Times subscription. SFU's full access to this major news source has been extended to June 2026 for all SFU students, instructors, and staff.

<Read on for details on the the surprising range of content in the FT and on the new "Business School Professors' Picks" feature... a fast route to planning current events discussions in your classes!>

Public opinion polling results can be a gold mine for both business and economics researchers. Whether you are focusing on the incentives that drive business owners, no-show fees in restaurants & medical offices, or opinions about cell phone prices, there's a good chance you will find published polling results to factor into your analysis.

I tend to focus first on the major polling firms that we see mentioned in the news — e.g., Ipsos, Research Co., Angus Reid, Abacus, Léger, Nanos, Earnscliffe, and Environics — but there's a hidden gem that I sometimes forget to check: the public opinion research reports commissioned by various agencies of our federal government...

<Read on for details on how to find opinion survey results from the Canadian government!>

The problem, however, with "extremely detailed data" is that extracting and interpreting exactly what you need from the Vivintel database can be tedious and at times frustrating. You might want to start by browsing some of the infographic-laden reports published by the same organisation...

<Read on to learn about 4 new Vividata reports now available for SFU researchers!>

Those who know me, know that I'm a huge fan of keeping on top of the news...

And yet... even I have to admit that this sort of all-you-can-eat buffet approach to the news may not be great for mental health, at least not during these chaotic times. That's why the following HBR article about the value of a news diet caught my eye...

<Read on to learn the basics of a healthy news diet!>

1. Data Analytics: AI and Machine Learning
2. Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship and Technology
3. Leadership: Self-Advocacy
4. Organizational Communication: Business Communication and Social Media
5. Professionalism: AI in the Workplace

<Read on for details!>

I'm very pleased to report that we've added several new industry almanacs to our Plunkett Research Online collection.

Plunkett industry almanacs are a useful supplement to our other industry reports, such as those in our IBISWorld database. They don't generally contain much analysis, but they provide the information you need to start analyzing potential markets yourself... trends, statistics, contacts, and competitors...

Entrepreneurs can be found in almost every SFU faculty and department, which is probably not a surprise given that we're Canada's top university for innovation! 

If you're among the many who are pivoting your way through the difficult process of starting a new enterprise (social or commercial), or if you've just invented a new product and aren't sure what to do next, I hope you know that the SFU Library is here to support you!

<Read on to learn about recent ebooks, audiobooks, videos, and case studies to help you on your startup journey!>

A bit of good news in these difficult budgetary times: SFU's subscription to the Financial Times has been renewed.

Funded in partnership with the Beedie School of Business, our direct subscription to the Financial Times gives us full access to the FT's visual & data journalism, videos, podcasts, and much more.

I appreciate the FT's news articles, but for me the value of our subscription is in the access to the deeper FT content: the analysis of major world issues and availability of multiple perspectives on complex topics. I'll cover some highlights of the many types of FT content below...

<Read on for a taste of all the FT has to offer!>

Sorry about mangling that Spider-man quote. My point is that sometimes the most powerful databases are, unavoidably, also the most complex. Sadly, that complexity can act as a barrier, causing researchers to avoid some amazing sources.

Take, for instance, our Vividata database... Vividata’s Study of the Canadian Consumer reaches 40,000+ Canadians each year, gathering detailed data on Canadians’ opinions, demographics, and activities, as well as their product, service, and media purchases...

<Read on to learn about a series of 21 infographic-laden reports about Canadian consumers, informed by our complex-yet-powerful Vividata database!>