Identification of studies or investigations done by industry members that might provide valuable company information. Libraries of associations might contain annual reports of companies, company newsletters, and transcripts of association meetings or industry conventions with references to or by the company under study. Associations' own publications might include market surveys, statistical analyses of industries, and directories of members. Some trade associations have created a presence for themselves on the Web. Your best bet for finding the association you need is to get to a major search engine.
Some search services provide fairly comprehensive lists of trade organizations.
In order to represent their members effectively, labor unions have to keep smart about companies. They have a great deal of information about unionized companies, but they also research companies that they hope to organize. There are many areas in which you'll find unions to be informed and helpful. They have almost always been willing to provide us with copies of collective bargaining agreements, never charging for their time. Unions have also been informed about company activities that aren't directly related to employees.