The following websites are indicative of the many data resources available to help managers gain an understanding of their potential customer markets:

• U.S. Census Bureau (http://www.census.gov/epcd/cbp/view/cbpview.html). The U.S. Census Bureau's County Business Patterns is an annual series that lists regional economic data by industry. The series is useful for studying the economic activity of small areas and analyzing economic changes over time. Businesses can use the data for analyzing market potential, measuring the effectiveness of sales and advertising programs, setting sales quotas, and developing budgets.
  
  
• MapQuest (http://www.mapquest.com/). In addition to providing travel directions to virtually anywhere in the world, MapQuest allows users to search for businesses by zip code through its Yellow Pages feature. This resource provides entrepreneurs with a quick way to determine the names and locations of competitors within a specified radius of a given location.
  
  
• Strategy and Business (http://www.strategy-business.com/magazine/). Strategy and Business is both an online and hardcopy business journal that provides managers with insight on contemporary business topics. The journal includes case studies, interviews with executives, and reports on matters related to integrating strategy and performance measurement.