The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) was created by the government for statistical purposes to describe industries, but it is used for a number of reasons, and it can help you research an industry. It is commonly used in reports and databases (and sometimes you will be asked to identify it in an assignment or business plan).
Another resource to try using when starting your research is Business Insights Global. Sometimes it will be hard to describe your industry with NAICS, so ask for help if you run into any problems. I can work with you to find the best option.
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