BUSINESS INFORMATION CENTER
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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS RESEARCH GUIDE
This guide focuses on international business information with the first half of the guide organized into general categories and the latter part organized alphabetically by country. Please note that specific attention is devoted to the countries that are part of the EMBA International Trip, the Global Leadership Program, and professors’ assignments. To suggest a country for coverage please send a note to Ask a BIC Librarian indicating what class or trip the country information will be used for.
COUNTRY OVERVIEWS
BBC News Country Profiles Profiles can include audio/video clips from BBC archives. Compiled by BBC Monitoring.
Business Source Complete - Over 1400 full text country economic reports, reviews, studies and surveys. (SMU Community Only)
CIA World Factbook The World Factbook provides “national-level information on countries, territories, and dependencies.” Select a country from the drop down menu at the top of the page. The World Factbook is currently updated (online) every two weeks.
Deloitte Country Snapshots Developed by Deloitte tax professionals working with the Economist Intelligence Unit, Snapshots cover over 75 countries and are updated twice yearly.
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Viewswire Country analysis on over 200 countries, with a focus on business intelligence. Content areas include politics, economy, business, finance, and regulations. (SMU Community Only)
Europa World Year Book. (Fondren Library Center Reference, JN1.E85) Includes the recent history and economic affairs for each country, along with detailed statistics and listings of organizations and contacts.
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Statesman's Year Book. (Fondren Library Center Reference, JA51 .S7) Provides diplomatic representation and highlights basic economic and political facts.
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U.S. Department of State Background Notes Find “facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty” at this site. Also included are links to “Country Notes.”
U.S. Library of Congress Country Studies A good starting point for understanding a country from a historical, cultural, social, economic, etc. standpoint. Please note— studies were published between 1988 and 1998 so the information may not be current.
Traveler's Health Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with current data for each country and current warnings.
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ECONOMICS
Index to Economic Freedom See a list of countries organized alphabetically or by level of economic freedom. Click on country name to find out more information.
International Monetary Fund Visit the “Country Info” section of the site to find an alphabetical listing of coverage of the 184 member countries. IMF surveys, news briefs, press releases, publications, speeches and transcripts are some of the categories of information included in various country profiles.
The World Bank Click on countries. Find country overviews detailing World Bank programs, news and events, and data and statistics.
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TRADE
COMTRADE United Nations commodity trade statistics database
Direction of trade statistics (Fondren Library HF91 .I65)
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Export.gov Find links to online resources including export basics and trade publications. Select the market research link from the navigation on the right side of the page to view market research by country (may require registration).
Globus & NTDB International trade leads and market research (access via Stat-USA) (SMU Community Only)
International Trade Center View country level information about ITC activities in the “Countries” section of this Web site by selecting a country from the top of the page. On the left navigation find links to trade contact and trade statisticall information.
International trade statistics yearbook (Fondren Library Reference HF91 .U473) 2003 vols.1 & 2
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“Volume I provides historical information on the external trade performance of individual countries in terms of current values. Information showing important commodities traded by an individual country (latest 4 years) and the country's trade with its major trading partners and regions (latest 5 years) are also shown.” (UN Statistics- Trade Publications Page)
World Trade Organization Use the navigation in the top right corner to access statistics and trade policy information. For example, under 'Resources' click on the 'Trade Statistics' link to access the WTO statistics database which includes trade profiles and time series data; an online version of the publication International Trade Statistics, which features tables downloadable into to MS Excel; and a section of Web links. Under 'Trade Topics' click on 'Trade Policy Reviews' to find information about various countries trade policies.
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DEMOGRAPHICS
Infonation data and statistics about United Nations member countries
International Data Base (IDB)"a computerized source of demographic and socioeconomic statistics for 227 countries and areas of the world."
Eurostat data and statistics about the European Union
Population Reference Bureau U.S. and International population trends
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COMPANY INFORMATION
Factiva Search for company information by navigating to the Companies/Markets section. Limit by country and company using the 'companies' and 'region' tabs in the advanced search section. See contact information, business description, key competitors, corporate performance and latest news. (Cox School of Business IP addresses only) (Internet Explorer is the preferred browser)
Hoover’s “provide(s) access to powerful tools and business information on more than 12 million US and non-US companies, industries, and the people who run them.…” (SMU Community Only)
Thomson ONE Banker Access the Worldscope database to locate information on more than 12,000 international companies. See images of international annual reports from 3/1/97. (SMU Community Only, Internet Explorer is the preferred browser)
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INDUSTRY/MARKET DATA
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Viewswire Analysis on over 200 countries. Select a country, click on the 'Business' link on the left side of the page, and then click on the 'Industry Overview' link near the top center of the page. (SMU Community Only)
Export.gov Select the market research link from the navigation on the right side of the page to view market research by country (may require registration).
Global Market Information Database (GMID) The market research reports from Euromonitor provide authoritative analysis on consumer, industrial, and service sectors for many areas around the world. Consumer information and statistics are available as well. (SMU Community Only)
Globus & NTDB International trade leads and market research (access via Stat-USA) (SMU Community Only)
International Trade Center Find internet resources, including market profiles and international trade information, by using the “Index to internet Information Sources” resource located under the “References & contact databases” header on the left side of the page.
Mintel Reports These business-to-consumer market research reports focus on consumer packaged goods. Some information is included for areas of the world other than the U.S. with an emphasis on Western Europe. (SMU Community Only)
World Market Share Reporter (Fondren Library Center Reference, HF5410 .W67) 2001/2002
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STATISTICS
Bureau of Labor Statistics Under the heading "International Statistical Agencies," view a detailed list of international statistical sites available on the World Wide Web
Demographic Yearbook- United Nations. Provides demographic information on over 200 countries/areas in the world. View the version online or see an earlier edition at Fondren Library Center Reference, HA17 .D45
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European Marketing Data and Statistics. (Fondren Library Center Reference, HA1107.E87)
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International Financial Statistics Yearbook (Fondren Library Reference HG3881 .I626)
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International Marketing Data and Statistics. (Fondren Library Center Reference, HA42.I56)
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UNCTAD GlobStat (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - UNCTAD). Facts and figures about developing countries and globalization. UNCTAD handbook of statistics (Fondren Library, HF1016 .U54a) 2000-2004
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UNESCO Institute for Statistics (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - UNESCO) Analytical reports and publications on member nations' data within the fields of education, science and technology, culture and communication. Data Centre's tables and summary data profiles and rankings of nations include option to create customized tables from statistics provided.
United Nations Statistics Division Includes demographics, industry and trade statistics. Some content is accessible only by paid subscription.
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ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS
Associations Unlimited includes information on 23,000 international organizations. (SMU community only)
Associations on the Net Internet Public Library list of association Web sites. Type association name in search box or browse by title.
Federation of International Trade Associations (FITA) Global trade portal links to 450 international trade associations and over 8,000 import/export trade Web sites via a searchable directory. Includes annotated leads so international trade market research, country profiles, tools (such as regulations), travel planning, career center, and associations. Use the advanced search or left navigation options to locate articles and links.
International Organizations View lists of organizations by regional, economic, or political treaty names. Summaries of each organization provided by Infoplease.
Yahoo View lists of organizations by country.
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GENERAL WEB SITES
Bloomberg Currency Rates Monetary Exchange Rates
Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments Alphabetical by country list of government officials. Maintained by the CIA and updated weekly.
Doing Business Detailed information is presented about the processes that must completed to establish a business in most of the countries around the world. Information is provided by the World Bank.
e-Market Express Access market research by topic for various countries. Information provided by the US Commercial Service.
Energy Information Administration Country Analysis Briefs- Detailed information on energy industry activity in the country and a very helpful section of Web links.
Factiva Search for global news, company, and market information. (Cox School of Business IP addresses ONLY) (Internet Explorer is the preferred browser)
BUYUSA.GOV- Find sections on business culture and conducting business in various U.S. Commercial Service Country Commercial Guides. Use the drop down box labeled "Find Export Information by Country" to select a country. Click on the "Doing Business In..." link if available or browse the guide for further information. Please note: information and organization vary by guide.
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) covers “food and agricultural production, consumer trends, and trade issues in about 130 countries.” (Factoid from Web site) FAS analysts “prepare production forecasts, assess export marketing opportunities, and track changes in policies affecting U.S. agricultural exports and imports.”
Yahoo! Finance International link out to Yahoo! Finance sites for various countries.
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REGIONAL & COUNTRY SPECIFIC WEB SITES
Argentina
National Institute of Statistics and Censuses view the abridged English version by clicking on the yellow 'English Version' button in the upper right corner.
US Commercial Service in Argentina Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service.
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Asia Regional Links
Asia Now Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations- Use the navigation on the left to find statistical information on participating nations.
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Belgium
Belgian Federal Government Online Portal Locate information general information about the country, culture, and government of Belgium. (English content is limited)
FPS Economy Directorate-general Statistics Belgium (English content is limited)
US Commercial Service in Belgium Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service.
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Brazil
Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) Official government site. Includes content areas of indicators, population, economy and geoscience. Click the 'English' button in the upper right corner to navigate to the English version of the site.
BrazilLink A portal to a variety of sites containing general information about Brazil. The site is "edited by experts and maintained by volunteers worldwide."
US Commercial Service in Brazil (CS Brazil) Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. See the country commercial guide and market intelligence information.
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Canada
Government of Canada Learn about general information about Canada and find resources for conducting business in Canada.
Statistics Canada Click on the 'Business Data' link in the left side navigation to explore market, industry, and trade data. Official government site.
US Commercial Service in Canada Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service.
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Chile
National Institute of Statistics (INE) (in Spanish only)
US Commercial Service in Chile Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. See “Doing Business in Chili Country Commercial Guide” and information by industry sector.
China
China Data Online Some freely available information. For detailed use, visit the Business Information Center and speak with a librarian to log in.
National Bureau of Statistics of China Government statistical site. Under 'Related Links' heading, click 'Others' to find links to provincial statistical Web sites.
US Commercial Service in China Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods. Click the link for the China Business Information Center to access another informative Web site developed by Export.gov.
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Cuba
CubaSource The Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL)’s Information System on Cuba.
National Statistical Office Official government site. View information a variety of statistics including economic, demographic, transportation, tourism and trade.
Office of Foreign Assets Control- U.S Treasury Sanctions Programs and Country Summaries, Cuba.
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England/United Kingdom
Directgov Web portal for locating a wide variety of government information and resources.
General Register Office for Scotland
National Statistics Official UK Statistics
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
UK Trade & Investment Find information about doing business in the UK for companies located elsewhere.
US Commercial Service in United Kingdom Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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European Regional Links
Europa online portal to the European Union. Please note: Europa pages may be slow to load.
Showcase Europe Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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France
National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE)
Prime Minister Government Portal
US Commercial Service in France Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Germany
Deutschland Portal "...central, non-commercial access to Germany on the Internet"
Federal Statistical Office Germany
The Press and Information Office of the Federal Government
US Commercial Service in Germany Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Hong Kong
Census and Statistics Department Click on the 'Hong Kong Statistics' link on the left side of the page to find statistics by subject, statistical charts and tables, and economic and social indicators. Provided by the Government of the Hong Kong Administrative Region.
Trade Development Council "the global marketing arm and service hub for Hong Kong-based manufacturers, traders and service exporters" Click on the Industry or Services verticals and find links to industry profiles, statistics, and other informative content areas.
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Hungary
Hungarian Central Statistical Office Use the links under the 'Data' section on the left side of the page to locate a wide variety of information. Government site.
US Commercial Service in Hungary Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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India
Central Statistical Organization (CSO) Find statistics covering national accounts, consumer prices, energy, and social aspects.
EU-India Trade Relations View detailed information about trade between the EU and India. Part of the European Commission's Delegation via the Europa Web portal. Please note: Europa pages may be slow to load.
Ministry of Commerce Information about trade including promotion, policy, and procedural resources. Also find annual reports including analysis and statistical information. Visit the 'Trade Promotion Programme' link to view reports with a regional focus.
National Portal of India The official portal of the Indian Government
US Commercial Service in India Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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Ireland
Central Statistics Office Ireland
US Commercial Service in Ireland Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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Italy
Istat.it Statistical site. (in Italian only)
Italia.gov Government Portal (in Italian only)
US Commercial Service in Italy From the left side navigation find 'Doing Business in Italy' link and a little farther down, also find 'Doing Business in Malta.' Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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Japan
Statistics Bureau
US Commercial Service in Japan Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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Korea
Korea National Statistical Office
US Commercial Service in Korea Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Latin American Regional Links
Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC)
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Mexico
Banco de México Follow links to view currency information, monetary and exchange rate policy, and economic and financial indicators. Click the link in the upper left corner to navigate between the Spanish and English versions.
Ministry of Finance & Public Credit Select the 'Official Economic Information' section to access the following useful sub-sections: Timely Public Finances and Public Debt Statistics, Basic Economic and Financial Data, Economic Policy Documents and Reports.
National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (INEGI) (in Spanish only)
US Commercial Service in Mexico Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Middle East Region
Business Intelligence-Middle East provides current and archived news and analysis of the region's key market sectors.
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a trade block composed of six Persian Gulf countries - excluding Iran and Iraq. GCC coordinates mutual cooperation in economic, political, and social development, foreign policies, and security matters. According to the Arab Times (of Kuwait), GCC launched a new joint common market in January 2008 - similar to the European Union. model. GCC is also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG).
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) focuses on cooperation and sharing of information about the oil industy, energy, and development in Arab countries. Site includes annual reports, conference papers, and journal publications.
Organization of the Oil Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) coordinates 13 member countries' policies to maintain economic stability of oil production markets and meet needs of consumers, investors, and producers of petroleum products since 1960. OPEC produces numerous meetings and publications with statistical data and forecasts.
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Russia
Columbia University Russia Subject Index scroll to the Business & Economics section to find information on trade and the Russian securities market.
Federal State Statistics Service “The system of state statistics covers district, regional and federal levels, as well as Moscow and St. Petersburg.”
Russian and East European Network and Information Center (REENIC)University of Texas at Austin. Search by keyword, region, or country. Includes links to sites covering a wide variety of topics including associations, economics, and government.
US Commercial Service in Russia Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Switzerland
Swiss Federal Statistical Office Find regional information and comparisons of Switzerland to the world. Click the English link in the corner.
US Commercial Service in Switzerland Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Taiwan
Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics
Government Information Office Republic of China (Taiwan)
US Commercial Service in Taiwan Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Turkey
Republic of Turkey, Prime Ministry State Institute of Statistics
US Commercial Service in Turkey Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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United Kingdom
Directgov Web portal for locating a wide variety of government information and resources.
General Register Office for Scotland
National Statistics Official UK Statistics
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
UK Trade & Investment Find information about doing business in the UK for companies located elsewhere.
US Commercial Service in United Kingdom Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods
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Vietnam
US Commercial Service in Vietnam Site developed by US Department of Commerce's Commercial Service. Aimed at US exporters of goods.
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Updated: 4/30/2008
