General Sources
Global Market Information Database (GMID)
Provides statistics and information. For example, you can select a country and examine various economic or demographic information about that country, you can examine the consumption (value and/or volume) of various products in one or more countries or regions, and you can use Browse Reports to access a Consumer Lifestyle report for the country. You can tailor the time series, unit of measurement, currency, and market unit (total, household, per capita, etc.) to suit your needs. Data can be printed, saved, or loaded into Excel.
Portals to the World
Part of the Library of Congress' Global Gateway site providing links to resources by country, from business, to media, to society.
Cultural Analysis
Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions
Profiles cultural dimensions and provides information on business etiquette in each country.
Refer to the Web sites and printed resources listed in the Country and Regional Information Sources section of the International Business Web page and on the Country Resources for Business library guide.
Consumer Lifestyle Reports in the Global Market Information Database (GMID)
Demographic and Economic Analysis
CIA World Factbook
An excellent starting point. Profiles of each country of the world. Covers geography, population, government, economy, climate, etc. This site also includes maps that can be downloaded in gif, tif or pdf formats.
GlobalEDGE
A wide-ranging directory maintained by the Michigan State University Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER). Includes links to electronic journals, country specific information, international trade, statistical sources, company information, and much more. Start with the Country Insight report for your country.
Political Risk Yearbook
8 volumes cover the world. Each has its own call number. Find these listed in the Country Resources for Business library guide.
For some countries there are books with titles containing the words "doing business in." Search for these in the Milner Catalog. Also search under the subject heading BUSINESS ETIQUETTE (COUNTRY NAME).
Trade Statistics
GMID
To find both trade between your country and the US and total US exports and imports, select USA as the geographic area. Select Exports by destination (entire category) and Exports by Destination - your country. Do the same for Imports (by origin). Load the resulting statistics into Excel and let Excel calculate the percentage of US trade represented by trade with your country.
Finding Foreign Direct Investment and Import/Export Data
A script to guide you to the information in SourceOECD and GMID.
Remember that imports into the US from your country are the exports from your country to the US, and exports from the US to your country are the imports into your country from the US.
Leading Companies
Company Profiles in Business Source Elite
Connect to Business Source Elite. Near the top of the screen, find the green bar and select Company Profiles. In the search box, type the beginning of the company name and click on Browse. Select your company and click on the link to Datamonitor Report. The report will provide information about the company and may include a SWOT analysis.
GlobalEDGE
In the Country Insight section, use the Commercial Guide (Doing Business) for your country and go to the list of companies for links to the Web sites of major companies. Research the companies in the other resources listed here.
Mergent International Manual (Reference HG 4538 .M64)
Provides financial data on individual leading companies, worldwide, arranged by country.
Worldscope in the Company Profiles section, or the company financial reports generally, in Academic Universe
Current News
GlobalEDGE
In the Country Insight section, links to current events coverage are in the frame on the right of the screen.
Follow current events in a newspaper or an online news source, such as CNN.
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