Library Research Resources
International Business 190 - John Hironaka
February 11, 2010

Present by Anne Bradley, Business Reference Librarian
bradleya@csus.edu ~ 278-4350 ~ CSUS Library Office 2501

Company Research

Find basic information about a U.S. company in Library business databases:

Business Source Premier - Click Company Profiles in right-hand column then type in your company.
Factiva - Click Companies/Markets then Company to search for your company.
Hoover's Company Records - Type company name!

Country Research

Country Reports from Business Source Premier - This database provides a variety of reports on different aspects of countries including political, economic, investment, and social overviews. Also provides country data such as GDP, employment, production, etc. Note: Not all countries have all reports! Here are some recommended uses for some of the reports in this database:

  • Country Review - Good place to start provides overview of history, government, people, culture, etiquette, etc.
  • Country Commerce - Great source for legal information (regulations, taxes, hiring, establishing a business)
  • Economic Competitiveness - Provides benchmarks to help determine how profitable it could be to operate in a particular country.
  • Political Risk Yearbook - Gives current economic and political stability. Also provides forecasts.

Background Notes of the Countries of the World - online at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/ or in Reference at Ref D848 .C6 - Brought to you by the Federal Government, these guides include facts on the country's land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and its relations with other countries and the United States.

Political-Legal Environment

Country Commerce - Reports available for some countries in Country Reports from Business Source Premier
Trade Policy Review (Country) - http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tpr_e.htm - TPRs contain information on each title country covering recent economic developments, trade and investment policy, market access in goods, policies affecting trade in goods, selected commercial sectors, recent economic developments and more.
Doing Business - http://www.doingbusiness.org/ - World Bank web site with reports on regulations, starting a business, etc. in a foreign country.

Competitors

  • LexisNexis Academic
    Provides directory information for small, private companies and detailed information for publicly traded companies. Searchable by a combination of industry, location, public/private, sales and/or number of employees.
  • Factiva - Click Companies/Markets then Company to search for your company.

Target Market

Finding the size of the market for your product in your country may be challenging! Try these sources:

  • Industry Profiles - Available in Business Source Premier Try a keyword search or click on "Industry Profiles" in the right hand column.
  • Export.gov - http://www.export.gov - The U.S. Government export portal. Market Research section provides market research reports for specific industries in foreign countries. Not all countries will have a report for all industries. Free registration is required to search and view reports.
  • Consumer demographics and marketing information is available in these fine print books from Euromonitor:
    International Marketing Forecasts - Ref HF 5410 .I58
    European Marketing Data and Statistics - Ref HA 1107 E87
    International Marketing Data and Statistics - Ref HA 42 I56

Demographic/statistical information can also be found online:

  • globalEDGE - http://globaledge.msu.edu/resourcedesk/statistical-data-sources/ - Lists data sources for individual countries as well as sources for world wide coverage.
  • International Statistical Agencies - http://www.census.gov/aboutus/stat_int.html - See what your country's statistical agency has available online.

Library Databases

CSUS Library Home - http://library.csus.edu

  • Library provides access to many great business databases which you can use to find articles on your product, country, or company.
  • Go to the Database and Article Searching Page select Business and Management to start searching one or more of the following:

    Business Source Premier - Brings together in a single database industry overviews, company profiles, and magazine and journal articles.
    Check Articles to search for articles on your topic.

    ABI/Inform - Indexes and abstracts over 1,500 journals and trade publications in all areas of business and management, many with an international focus.
    Use the Advanced Search screen for more search options.

    Factiva - Factiva gives access to 1,000+ global and local newspapers, 6,500+ magazines, including industry-specific journals and newsletters, 270+ news wires, and 20,000+ Company Reports.
    Type search terms into Free Text box.
    Consult Examples for advanced searching techniques.
    E.g. Coca-cola same supply chain - Will find articles with both terms in the same paragraph.

    Mergent Online - Provides extensive financial information for publicly traded U.S. and International companies.
    Also includes Industry Reports.

    EUREKA - CSUS Library Catalog - Eureka is a catalog of books, periodicals, and other items owned by the CSUS Library. Do an Advanced Keyword search on your topic.

Library Homepage || Database and Article Searching || Library Guides by Subject