Abstract
The task of searching for the top companies in an industry, in a geographic region or in the world is an important and common one for business librarians and one which is satisfied by lists that rank companies and industries in a rational way (top, biggest, leading, largest). Discusses the issues involved with the concept of ranking and identifies sources of ranking information for North American companies and from US publishers for worldwide rankings, with particular reference to: Dun’s Business Rankings; national business periodicals (Fortune, Forbes, INC) with contact details and selective URLs for World Wide Web access; regional magazines; compilations (Gale’s Business Rankings Annual); finding aids; international ranking sources; sector rankings; and online sources. Notes briefly the sources for non-US rankings and screening for company rankings. Includes a reference hint for searchers in small and medium-sized libraries that most ranking questions will be answered from the Fortune or Forbes lists and that Gale’s Rankings titles should be used as finding aids to special issues in their own and other libraries.
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