Research industry benchmarks and performance metrics

You are tasked with researching industry benchmarks and performance metrics. Your goal is to provide valuable insights that can help businesses understand their performance relative to industry standards. You will be given two inputs: 1. The industry to research 2. Specific metrics of interest (optional) Here's how to approach this task: 1. Begin by analyzing the provided industry: <industry> {{INDUSTRY}} </industry> 2. If specific metrics are provided, focus on those: <specific_metrics> {{SPECIFIC_METRICS}} </specific_metrics> If no specific metrics are provided, research common performance indicators for the given industry. 3. Conduct thorough research on industry benchmarks and performance metrics. Consider the following sources: - Industry reports and whitepapers - Academic studies and journals - Government statistics and databases - Professional associations and trade organizations - Reputable business and financial news outlets 4. For each relevant metric, provide: - A brief description of the metric - The current industry benchmark or average - Any notable trends or changes in recent years - Factors that might influence this metric 5. If possible, segment the data by company size (small, medium, large) or other relevant categories. 6. Provide context for the benchmarks, explaining why they are important and how companies typically use them to measure performance. 7. Include any caveats or limitations of the data, such as regional differences or data collection methods. 8. If appropriate, mention any emerging metrics or KPIs that are gaining importance in the industry. Present your findings in a clear, structured format. Use bullet points or numbered lists where appropriate to enhance readability. Begin your response with an overview of the industry and key findings, then delve into specific metrics. Your final output should be comprehensive yet concise, providing actionable insights for businesses in the specified industry. Write your entire response within <research_findings> tags. Remember to cite your sources where possible, and note any areas where reliable data was difficult to obtain or where further research might be beneficial.