Business Subject Guide
International Trade
Country Background - Cultural
Country Studies <http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html>
Provides a comprehensive full-text source of background information on the history, politics, culture, and economy of about 90 countries. Based on a series of books prepared by the U.S. Library of Congress.
Lonely Planet <http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/>
Lonely Planet publishes guidebooks for independent travelers. Known for reliable travel information, historical background, and cultural insights.
Country Background - Economic & Political
Background Notes <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/>
From the U.S. Dept. of State, excellent brief introductions to the nations of the world. Emphasis on government, politics, and foreign relations.
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs) (Belmont subscription database)
full-text for theory and research in international affairs; encompasses scholarship from 1991 on that includes working papers from university research insitutes, foundation-funded research projects, proceedings from conferences, etc.
Country Commercial Guides
Prepared by U.S. embassies and federal agencies. CCG's summarize the facts about doing business in a particular country. The CCG's are available within National Trade Data Bank (w/ STAT-USA), a Belmont subscription database. Choose the NTDB , then the Country Commercial Guides under "Market and Country Research."
EIU Country Viewswire (Belmont subscription database)
Economic, political, and market developments on selected countries around the world, analyzing the implications for business. Drawing from EIU publications as well as from The Economist, Journal of Commerce, CFO Magazine, The Financial Times, Reuters, and Oxford Analytica , this resource provides daily updates of market data, forecasts, and regulations on developed and emerging markets.
Economist.com Country Briefings <http://www.economist.com/countries/index.cfm>
News, country profiles, forecasts, statistics and more for 60 major nations as provided by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Infonation <http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/infonation/e_infonation.htm>
An easy-to-use database that allows you to compare up-to-date statistical data for member states of the United Nations.
National Trade Data Bank/STAT-USA (Belmont subscription database)
A good place to begin locating foreign country background and data. Contains foreign trade information and economic overviews of countries around the world. All are full text documents, primarily from U.S. government agencies concerned with foreign trade.
Political Risk Yearbook (Belmont subscription database)
Reports on most countries of the world, providing political and economic risk analysis, focusing specifically on vital political and business information.
World Factbook <http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html>
From the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, provides brief overviews of the nations of the world, summarizing their demographic, political, economic, and social status. A quick way to get country data online.
Currency Converters
Oanda.com, the Currency Place <http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic>
Universal Currency Converter <http://www.xe.com/ucc/>
Both provide an extensive set of currency conversion and foreign exchange information services for travelers, investors and businesses. Have both current and historical rates.
Guides & Internet Gateways
Global Edge <http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp>
One of the best web gateways to international business information. From Michigan State University, it includes news reports, country background, trade resources, culture, etc.
Virtual International Business & Economics Sources <http://libweb.uncc.edu/ref-bus/vibehome.htm>
Background information and data from government agencies, business publishers, and commercial Internet providers of value to international trade research.
International Corporate Background
Hoover's Company Reports (Belmont subscription database)
Provides corporate data, information on a company's location, summary financials, top competitors, top officers, and more. Search by company name or ticker symbol.
International Directory of Company Histories Ref HD2721.D36
An encyclopedia covering the history and development of the world's companies, leaders in their industry or geographical location with at least $50 million in sales. Includes both U.S. and international corporations. The latest volume has a cumulative index to all volumes.
Trade & Tariff Schedules
Schedule B Export Codes (Foreign Trade Classification Schedule)
Trade transactions are classified by product and assigned a 10-digit identification code. This categorization of exports is designated as Schedule B, the official schedule of commodity classifications used both to report U. S. exports and to compile export statistics.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. <http://www.itds.treas.gov/HTSindex.html>
Browse the full text of the U.S. tariff tables or search by product name or description.
Trade Information & Regulations
CenTradeX (Belmont subscription database)
a comprehensive source for world trade and company information, this site provides overall trends by industry and products, which markets are growing and declining, sales prospects and overseas contacts, and information on industry leaders and competitors.
EIU Country Commerce (Belmont subscription database)
full-text guide to regulations, operating conditions, and corporate practices in 55 countries and the European Union.
Country Commercial Guides
Prepared by U.S. embassies and federal agencies. CCG's summarize the facts about doing business in a particular country. The CCG's are available within National Trade Data Bank/STAT-USA , a Belmont subscription database. Choose the NTDB , then the Country Commercial Guides under "Market and Country Research."
Doing ebusiness in... <http://www.ebusinessforum.com/>
From the Economist Intelligence Unit, individual surveys of e-business infrastructure, regulation, taxation, and key issues in over 60 nations. Click on " Doing Ebusiness in... " on the top menu bar.
National Trade Data Bank/STAT-USA (Belmont subscription database)
Locate foreign country background and data in this database of full text documents from U.S. government agencies concerned with foreign trade. Has both foreign trade data and economic overviews of countries around the world.
Trade Statistics
Foreign Trade of the United States (a NetLibrary ebook)
In the NetLibrary database, search for the book by title.
Compilation of U.S. export and import data, including state and metro area data.
Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/index.html>
From the U.S. Bureau of the Census, current and historical export/import statistics by country and by product category.
Global Trade Atlas (Belmont subscription database)
Import statistics for Canada, China, European Union, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, and USA.
Index to International Statistics (IIS)
Helps to locate specific statistical data found in publications issued by international agencies such as the United Nations, OAS, OECD, WHO, etc. Available as part of LexisNexis Statistical , a Belmont subscription database.
National Trade Data Bank/STAT-USA (Belmont subscription database)
Has both foreign trade data and economic overviews of foreign nations. Based on full text documents from U.S. government agencies concerned with international affairs.
Wisertrade (Belmont subscription database)
state level export statistics and US and Japanese export and import statistics. State data are available by 6-digit HS commodity, 3-digit NAICS industry, 2-digit SIC, and by port of entry. US data are available by customs district of exit and entry and by individual port of exit and entry. All state and US data are detailed by total value and value and weight by air and vessel modes. Stat, US, and Japanese data are updated monthly. Wisertrade features a large selection of graphics, maps, drill downs, and output to Excel and Adobe PDF.
Locating Articles
ABI/Inform (ProQuest) (Belmont subsription database)
Index to and some full-text of selected journal and magazine articles in the field of business.
Business File ASAP (TEL) (Belmont subsription database)
Analyze company performance and activity, industry events and trends as well as the latest in management, economics and politics. Some full-text available.
Business File International (TEL) (Belmont subsription database)
Analyze company performance and activity, industry events and trends as well as the latest in management, economics and politics. Some full-text available.
LexisNexis Academic (Belmont subsription database)
Search both the News and the Business sections of this database for the full text of articles from a variety of sources about U.S. corporations.