You will need to read multiple sources to research a commodity chain.  This topic is complex and crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries.  That means commodity chains are particularly challenging to research!  Typically, it isn't productive to enter "commodity chain" as a search term in databases.  Also, relying solely on a company website or representatives will result in a limited and biased point-of-view. 

Instead, gather lots of references each step of the way and be willing to look for information from multiple, unexpected sources. Ultimately, this strategy will save you time.  This guide provides suggested resources as you follow this strategy.

1. Refer to reference resources for background articles, profiles, and statistics on your company and industry.
2. Turn to the large variety of specialized subject databases we have at the library for business, science, engineering, and the environment to search for articles on the manufacturing, transport, sales, and impact of your product in the world. 
3. Use government web resources to search for export and import statistics and relevant legal documents. 

In addition to the suggestions here, these are other useful research guides for this class.