Answers

Getting started with Business Source Ultimate

_________________________________________

Business Source Ultimate is a leading research resource for global business studies, offering an extensive collection of peer‑reviewed journals alongside key trade and professional publications. In addition to academic research, it provides practical, real‑world content, including company data, case studies, industry profiles, and SWOT analyses, essential for producing professional‑standard coursework and business reports.

This resource is particularly valuable for students and researchers in Business Management, Finance and Accounting, Marketing, Health and Care Management, Human Resource Management, Supply Chain and Project Management, as well as MBA and Executive Education programmes.

Why use Business Source Ultimate? 

Whether you are writing a literature review or a business plan, you have access to:

• Comprehensive coverage of business topics: Covering both core and emerging business themes, from accounting standards and corporate finance to sustainability, entrepreneurship, leadership, and digital transformation. 
• Academic Journals: Full-text access to top-tier publications, including the Harvard Business Review. 
• Company & Industry Intelligence: Over 31,000 company profiles and thousands of SWOT analyses to help you evaluate market competitors.
• Practical Insights: 15,000+ case studies and 65,000+ business videos from the Associated Press to see theory in practice.

What does Business Source Ultimate have for me?

If you're just starting out with your research and aren’t sure what to look for, you might want to try browsing the topics and collections linked on the Basic Search page, which can provide an excellent jumping off point. Each topic page contains an easy to digest overview and related resources such as journal articles, books, videos, and more to deepen your understanding.

You can browse:

• Leading Publi­ca­tions in this Data­base 
  This section highlights major academic journals and professional business magazines available in full text. These publications are widely cited and are suitable for:
  • Coursework and essays.
  • Dissertations and literature reviews.
  • Professional and applied business research.
     

Use the subject icons (e.g. Accounting & Finance, Marketing & Sales, Management & Leadership) to instantly narrow your results to a specific business discipline.

• Explore featured content 
  Featured Content allows you to browse key types of secondary research without running a keyword search. This is especially useful when gathering background information or real‑world examples.
  You can browse:
   
  • Industry Reports 
  • Company Profiles
  • Country Reports
  • SWOT Analyses
  • Case Studies
  • Executive interview transcripts
  • Business and trade news

Each option takes you directly to high‑quality, subject‑specific sources, making this a good starting point when you are exploring a topic or gathering background information.

• Ask Business Source! 
  This is a AI assisted search search tool designed to streamline your research process. You can type questions in everyday language, such as:
  
  • What is corporate social responsibility?
     
  • How can a start‑up apply Lean methodology?

This feature is especially helpful if you’re unsure which keywords to use or are new to academic research.

• Discover popular topics: 
  This section highlights trending business topics such as:
  
  
  • AI in Business
  • Remote and Hybrid Work
  • Greenwashing
  • Sports Marketing
     

These topics are curated based on popular search trends and insights from business organisations. Clicking a topic automatically runs a search across the entire database, saving you time and helping you quickly find relevant material.

• Featured busi­ness maga­zines: 
  Browse a curated selection of leading business magazines available in full text through the library, including titles such as:
   
  • Bloomberg Businessweek
  • Forbes
  • Harvard Business Review
     

Clicking a magazine cover takes you directly to the publication’s page, where you can browse available issues and articles, ideal for keeping up to date with current business thinking and practice.

How do I search Business Source Ultimate?

1. Enter keywords in the search box. Click the magnifying glass icon to view results.
   
   
    
2. As you type, suggestions will appear below. Click any suggestion to see its results.
   
   
    
3. After running a search, you can narrow down your results using filters. Just click the All Filters button to open the panel on the left.
   
   

    

There are plenty of options you can explore, but these are a great place to start:

• Source Type: Choose the kind of content you want, such as academic journals, magazines, reports, or reviews.
• Publication Date: Set a custom date range to focus on the most recent research or a specific time period​​​​​
• Subject: Narrow your results by selecting relevant subject areas.
• Publication:  Use this option to limit your search to content from a specific publication.

Tip: Click Advanced Search for more powerful search options. This feature lets you combine multiple keywords using Boolean operators like AND, OR, and NOT to refine your results.

Want to learn more? Check out our FAQ: What are Boolean and advanced search operators and how do I use them to search for resources?

Viewing and Saving results

To explore an article, simply click on its title to view the abstract and more information. On this page you can: access the full text, save or add to project and download or email the resource using the toolbar options. 

To access the full text, you’ll typically see two format options, although additional formats may be available.

• PDF Full Text: Ideal for viewing the article as it appears in print. 
• Online Full Text: Great for quick reading and accessibility features.

Further guidance

Head over to EBSCOConnect for helpful guides and tips to make the most of this database!

If you would like more help, email us at Library@arden.ac.uk or book a librarian appointment 

Related FAQs

• What is natural language search and how do I use it?