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What's on this Page
- Find data on specific countries.
- Find resources on business etiquette in other cultures.
- Get general information on topics like business terms, ethics, international development.
- Find company data, demographic data, and other statistics for use in your research.
- Find regulatory information.
- Find books, articles, and videos to help your research.
- Learn about new international business books that have been added to the library's collection.
Find Country Information
Looking for information on a particular country?
If you need to figure out what it takes to open a Disney theme park in Cambodia, you're in the right place.
These resources provide information about specific countries around the world.
Use them to learn about:
- Country data, including business and economic conditions.
- Exploring cultural characteristics and local regulations.
- Starting a business in that country.
- Doing Business in ... byCall Number: View OnlineCountry Profiles Cost of Business Created by the World Bank, this site has tons of information on international business. Topics include "Paying Taxes", "Employing Workers", and "Enforcing Contracts". Drill down for information on particular countries, and find detailed national and regional profiles in the Downloads section. Provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement. The Doing Business indicators are comparable across 145 economies. They indicate the regulatory costs of business and can be used to analyze specific regulations that enhance or constrain investment, productivity and growth." Links to the annual report: Doing business in [year]. There's even a library of business laws.
- Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowCountry Profiles Mergent Online is the source for data for over 23,000 U.S. and international businesses. It is a very useful source for marketing information and doing company and industry comparisons. The data available includes historical stock prices, S.E.C. filings, ratios, prospects, etc. All data can be downloaded.
- Employee Rights When Working for Multinational EmployersThe U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's compendium of clickable links to the appropriate U.S. laws governing international employee rights, as well as links to sister EEO sites in Hong Kong, the U.K., Canada, and the European Union.
Nations of the World: A Political, Economic & Business HandbookCall Number: Reference HC10 .N36 2011Chock-full of detailed information about the world's nations (Ghana gets 10 full pages, for example). Topics discussed include economic growth, exports, key indicators, risk assessments, and industrial sectors. You'll also find country information such as entry requirements, dress codes, etc., as well as banking, travel, and government contact information.
The Europa World Year BookCall Number: Reference JN1 .E85 2008 v. 1–2ISBN: 1857435117Published (2 volumes a year) since 1926, this provides current information on 1,900 international organizations and all the world's countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
Doing Business Beyond America's Borders : The Do's, Don'ts and Other Details of Conducting Business in 40 Countries by Call Number: Reference HD62.4 .T85 2008A reliable guide to international business practices.
Business Culture and Etiquette
The last thing you want to do is offend your customers and business partners.
These books can help you navigate the cultures and business etiquette of countries all over the world.
Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands : The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More than 60 Countries (2nd ed.) by Call Number: Reference HF5389 .M67 2006The title says it all, but this book is particularly good at cultural nuances and value systems that affect business negotiations.
Passport to Success by Call Number: Reference HF5389 .M3753 2009Chapters provide an overview of business etiquette in over 20 countries.- Doing Business Beyond America's Borders : The Do's, Don'ts and Other Details of Conducting Business in 40 Countries by Call Number: Reference HD62.4 .T85 2008A reliable guide to international business practices.
Global Business Etiquette: a Guide to International Communication and Customs by Call Number: Reference HF5389 .M375 2006Organized by topic (e.g. "Gestures and Other Nonverbal Communication") rather than by country. Useful for broad overviews and comparisons, since only a handful of countries get specific mention in each chapter.
Doing Business in Asia : The Complete Guide by Call Number: Reference HF5389.3.A78 D86 1998Covering negotiation techniques, local tipping customs, and more, this is one of many guides on Lindell Library's shelves to doing business in specific countries. Also check out the "portable encyclopedias" published by World Trade Press: Australia, Argentina, and Canada are three examples.
The Global Etiquette Guide to Asia: Everything You Need to Know for Business and Travel Success by Call Number: Reference HF5389.3.A78 F67 2000
Canada Business: The Portable Encyclopedia for Doing Business with CanadaCall Number: Reference HF3227 .C36 1997
European Business Customs & Manners by Call Number: Reference HF5389.3.E85 B67 2006There's an Asian guide as well.
International Business Etiquette: Latin America by Call Number: Reference HF5389.3.L3 S22 2000See also Europe and Asia/Pacific Rim.
Get Ideas and Information
The Dictionary of International Business Terms by Call Number: Reference HD62.4 .S524 1998Straightforward and concise, this book briefly explains virtually every term you'll come across in international business negotiations.
Encyclopedia of International Development by Call Number: Reference HD82 .E547 2005This one-volume work looks at international development as the product of social change — and has the broader aim of eliminating poverty and intolerance from the world. Entries have reference lists for further reading.
Demographics: a Guide to Methods and Data Sources for Media, Business, and GovernmentCall Number: Reference HB849.4 .D447 2006A nice little guide to making sense of the demographic data that you'll find in other books and websites on this page. It starts with a basic overview of demographics, then examines methods and models, and explains how the data can be interpreted, used, and misused.
Find Data and Statistics
Company Data
- Databases | Reference Books with online versions | Websites selected by librarians
- Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowFinancials Company Profiles Mergent Online is the source for data for over 23,000 U.S. and international businesses. It is a very useful source for marketing information and doing company and industry comparisons. The data available includes historical stock prices, S.E.C. filings, ratios, prospects, etc. All data can be downloaded.
- Business Insights This link opens in a new windowCompany Profiles Company Histories Financials SWOT Analyses Business Insights: Global (BIG) features case studies, global industry research reports, company histories, SWOT and market share reports, corporate chronologies, and business rankings in hundreds of thousands of company profile pages, as well as profiles for all U.N. recognized countries and hundreds of industry profile pages; lets users easily compare global economies, companies and industries.
- Exporting and International Trade | MDEEA website published by Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development. There's a guide to Market Research and Trade Resources, and even a handy pdf guide to research resources.
- globalEDGEHosted by Michigan State University, this site is dedicated to providing information on global business. You'll find statistics, country information, industry data and more.
- Export.govA government web portal promoting U.S. exports. Includes a handy "Market Research Basics" guide and information on international sales and marketing. You can also find leads by industry.
Foreign Trade of the United States: Including State and Metro Area Export Data by
Call Number: Reference HF3003 .F6 2001 Use it online!A great handbook of U.S. foreign trade statistics. Data includes not only national trade in goods and services, but also exports by state and even metropolitan area.
Demographics
- Websites selected by librarians
- International Trade AdministrationLook for information on Trade Topics, Export and Industry Data, and more. There's also a useful Market Research Library that lets you search by industry, country, and date range.
- World Trade Organization: Statistics DatabaseData from the global body regulating international trade. They've got trade profiles of member countries, tariff profiles, and profiles of infrastructure and other services available.
- World BankHere you can find information on specific countries, the World Bank DataFinder, research information, and prospects and trends in the global economy.
- International Monetary FundData & Statistics, such as the World Economic Outlook Databases, Primary Commodity Pricing, and Principal Global Indicators. There is also Country Information available.
- The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010This is a guide to economic growth and development put out by the World Economic Forum. You can download the full report or browse it online, using dropdown menus to select individual countries.
Find Regulatory Information
- Federal Trade Commission: Office of International AffairsThe government's international trade arm. You'll find information on cooperation agreements, foreign authorities, consumer protection, and international competition.
- Employee Rights When Working for Multinational EmployersThe U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's compendium of clickable links to the appropriate U.S. laws governing international employee rights, as well as links to sister EEO sites in Hong Kong, the U.K., Canada, and the European Union.
- World Trade OrganizationThe WTO site has a lot of information on international business. Major sections include Trade Topics, such as tariffs and import licensing; Resources, including statistics and multimedia files; and Documents, such as legal texts and meeting information.
- Doing Business in ... byCall Number: View OnlineCreated by the World Bank, this site has tons of information on international business. Topics include "Paying Taxes", "Employing Workers", and "Enforcing Contracts". Drill down for information on particular countries, and find detailed national and regional profiles in the Downloads section. Provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement. The Doing Business indicators are comparable across 145 economies. They indicate the regulatory costs of business and can be used to analyze specific regulations that enhance or constrain investment, productivity and growth." Links to the annual report: Doing business in [year]. There's even a library of business laws.
Find Books and Articles
- ProQuest One Business This link opens in a new window(Formerly ABI/Inform) Covers thousands of business publications, most of them in full-text. Subject coverage includes business conditions, management techniques, business trends, management practice and theory, corporate strategy and tactics, and competitive landscape.
- Business Source Premier This link opens in a new windowThis collection of popular business magazines, scholarly journals, and trade publications covers such topics as accounting, banking, finance, international business, management, marketing, real estate, sales, and technology.
- Films on Demand This link opens in a new windowStreaming videos you can watch anywhere. Search for topics of interest or browse the Marketing section.
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