A successful brand is the most valuable resource a company has. The brand name encompasses the years of advertising, good will, quality evaluation, product experience, and other beneficial attributes the market associates with the product. Brand image is at the very core of business identity and strategy. Customers everywhere respond to images, myths, and metaphors that help them define their personal and national identities within a global context of world culture and product benefits. Global brands play an important role in that process. The value of Kodak, Sony, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Toyota, and Marlboro is indisputable. One estimate of the value of Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, places it at over $70 billion and growing. In fact, one authority speculates that brands are so valuable that companies will soon include a "statement of value" addendum to their balance sheets to include intangibles such as the value of their brands.
Below are a number of companies (mostly U.S.-based) who are listed as highly recognized global brands. Click on the link to see how the company markets differently to different countries:
This site links international business and country information in a logical,
easy to use format. Information is quickly obtained by using the on-site
search engine.
MSU-CIBER is dedicated to:
Carry out research that generates best-practice
knowledge on global business operations and global competitiveness.
Offer professional development and academic
outreach programs on contemporary international business techniques,
strategies, and methodologies.
Provide innovative, technology-driven
dissemination of international business knowledge to business executives,
public policy makers, scholars, and students.
Brint is a comprehensive site that offers links to a wide range of data. This site provides access to business, communication, import-export, linguistic, legal, marketing, media, monetary, public affairs, research, technology, trade, and travel information for the world level resources. Many of these resources provide specific country level information. Selected country level information on similar issues is also available on our International Business & Technology: Country Level page. It also provides an in-depth focus on business and technology issues related to India on the Business & Information Technology in India page. Major categories include:
UNESCO -- United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization http://www.unesco.org
UNESCO provides information that students
can use in class projects, assignments, and other research efforts. Below
is a sampling of links on the UNESCO site:
This site provides information relevant
to the World Bank. Much of the information is for sale, however selected
data are provided free of charge. The site index lists:
News, Publications, Countries and Regions,
Doing Business with the Bank, and Special Interest Topics.
Under Special Interest Topics are:
"The Year 200 Problem", "World Development
Indicators," and "World Bank Partnerships." Several tables
from the publication, World Development Indicators, are
provided free of charge.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development is a Paris-based intergovernmental organization whose
purpose is to provide its 29 Member countries with a forum in which governments
can compare their experiences, discuss the problems they share, and seek
solutions which can then be applied within their own national contexts.
The Organization is thus entirely at the service of its Member countries.
It forms a homogeneous entity in that each Member country is committed
to the principles of the market economy and pluralistic democracy.
The fundamental task of the OECD is straightforward:
namely to enable its members to consult and co-operate with each other
in order to achieve the highest sustainable economic growth in their countries
and improve the economic and social well-being of their populations.
The OECD offers advice and makes recommendations
to its members to help them to define their policies. On occasion its
also arbitrates negotiations of multilateral agreements and establishes
legal codes in certain areas of activity.
The Organization is a forum for objective,
skilled and independent dialogue which permits a thorough understanding
and true assessment of the problems posed in today's increasingly complex
world. The great comparative advantages of the OECD are its multidisciplinary
approach -- a capacity to cover all areas of government activity in a consistent
way -- and its system of consensus building through peer pressure. Within
the different committees the peer pressure system encourages countries
to be transparent, to provide explanations and justifications, and to
be self-critical where necessary, the practice of self-assessment being
the most original characteristic of the OECD.
This site offers statistics, news and events and free documents. It is
an excellent source for country data on its member countries. The statistics
include: Economic Indicators, National Accounts, Leading Indicators of
Industry and Services, Purchasing Power Parities, and International Trade
in Goods and Services to mention a few. It also offers search capability.
The World Trade Organization's official Web site offers up-to-date information
on the international trading system, its rules, and how it works.
Who is it for?
Anyone interested in these issues: from
students, people in business, and the general public, to delegates in
Geneva, officials in capitals, and other trade specialists. Information
on the site ranges from introductions to the issues to in-depth material
for specialists.
What can you find here?
A choice of three languages:
English, French and Spanish. Make your choice from the buttons on the
homepage. What's new? The homepage's central panel features the latest
developments in the WTO.
An introduction to the WTO for
non-specialists: This section is called "About the WTO".
It's in six sections covering over 40 Web pages. It includes: basic principles,
the agreements, disputes in the WTO, future work, developing countries
in the WTO, and how the organization operates. Links to this section are
at the top of the homepage and many other pages.
Explanations and guides focusing
on specific aspects of WTO work: Many of these can be downloaded
and installed on your computer for future reference.
Legal texts and thousands of WTO
working documents: They are added to the site's document database
daily.
Trade disputes in the WTO:
Panel and appeals reports are available on the site the minute they are
made public.
New WTO agreements: such
as the recently concluded negotiations
on telecommunications, information technology equipment and financial
services.
WTO meetings and conferences:
Summaries and documents.
Trade and developing countries:
Issues and documents dealing specifically with developing and least developed
countries
Trade policy reviews:
Accounts of the WTO's regular reviews of its members' trade policies.
How do you find all this material?
At the top of all principal pages are:
links to "About the WTO" (the introduction to the WTO), a map
of the site, a registration form (optional, to give us an idea of who
you are and what you're interested in), and a choice of languages.
The top banner also includes "search"
to help you track down Web pages containing specific key words.
From time to time the top banner on the
homepage also includes a special link. This year (1998) is the 50th anniversary
of the multilateral trading system. Click on the anniversary logo to reach
information about the occasion, including an assessment of the achievements
of the system, and a short slideshow.
At the side of all principal pages: blue
and brown buttons help you jump easily from one part of the site to another.
You can choose a topic or sector, or pick a resource.
Blue buttons link to information on the
key sectors of activity covered by the WTO. Brown buttons lead to different
types of information resources.
APEC http://apecsec.org.sg
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was formed in 1989 in
response to the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific
economies. Begun as an informal dialogue group with limited
participation, APEC has since become the primary regional
vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic
cooperation. Its goal is to advance Asia-Pacific economic
dynamism and sense of community. The Asia-Pacific region is
experiencing the most striking economic growth in the world.
It is a major contributor to global prosperity and stability.
Today, APEC includes all the major economies of the region and
the most dynamic, fastest growing economies in the world.
This site is a major source of information about APEC and its
member countries.
A Culturegram is a four-page briefing designed
specifically to introduce readers to the daily customs and lifestyles,
as well as the political and economic structure, of a nation. Our goal
is to present the people of a culture to the reader, thus encouraging
understanding and appreciation between those of different nationalities.
Ideal for educators, students, community leaders, businessmen and women,
government representatives, and travelers, Culturegrams provide clear,
concise information about daily life in a given nation. A glossary is
also available containing information to help Culturegram readers use
and understand the variety of terms found in the series.
Each four-page Culturegram strives to offer readers an accurate view of
a culture rather than focusing on statistical data. A number of other
fine resources present national statistics, but few inform the reader
about people on a personal level.
Global SIG (American Marketing
Association)
http://www.amaglobalsig.msu.edu
(Note: The URL for Global SIG changes frequently. If the URL above does
not access the site, go to: www.ama.org for a new address.)
The Global SIG Web site includes upcoming events, links to related sites,
links to online international business courses, and other information.
This is a good site to find information on conferences and special programs.
This site provides international business
links organized by country and geographic region. The subgroups titled
Japan, Asia/Pacific, Canada, and Europe have at least 10 links to specific
sources. The site also has a International Business Research Index where
research articles can be searched by author, title, topic (key word) and
/or journal.
The ITDS system is being developed to improve
trade procedures, trade promotion, trade policy development, and trade
statistics to benefit both the Public and the Government. The site includes
the following:
International Trade and Transport
Advisor (ITTA)
The IT&T Advisor is a WWW application
under development to assist those in the international trade community
by providing basic information on international trade. This site will identify Federal
government procedures on international trade and the rules and regulations
required to import, export, finance, and transport international transactions.
Additionally, the IT&T Advisor will provide resources available from
the public sector that can assist you with your trading requirements.
THE EXPORT ADVISOR provides
the following links:
Basic Exporting Instructions
Export Planning
Export Licensing Requirements
Exporting Documents
Available Assistance
State Resources
Federal Agencies
Embassies and Consulates
Export Programs (by agency)
Other Trade Links
Export Components
Drawbacks/Assists
Exporting Special Requirements
Exporting Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs)
Special Topics
Intellectual Property Rights Considerations
ATA Carnet
How to Determine a Classification Number
Requirements for Classification Requests
How to Determine a Tariff Rate
Methods of Payment
The Role of the Freight Forwarder
THE IMPORT ADVISOR provides
the following links:
Basic Importing Instructions
Entry Process - Overview
Checklist
Right to Make Entry
Packaging of Goods
Invoices
Examination of Goods
U.S. Customs Bond
Import Requirements
Specific Requirements
Miscellaneous
Temporary Importation Under Bond (TIB)
Import Specific Foreign Trade Agreements
Import Specific Foreign Trade Agreements
Marking Requirements
Assessment of Duty
Available Assistance
State Resources
Federal Agencies
Embassies and Consulates
Other Trade Links
Import Specific Trade Agreements
Import Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Questions to Ask US Customs when Importing
Merchandise
ITA oversees the operations of four principal
units:
The Commercial Service, which provides business counseling
to U.S. exporters in 83 domestic offices and 134 overseas offices in 69 countries.
Trade Development, whose
industry sector specialists provide information and analysis to U.S. exporters,
policymakers and all trade negotiators.
Market Access and Compliance,
whose country experts provide invaluable market analysis to U.S. business.
Import Administration,
which safeguards the American economy from unfairly priced imports.
The Office of Trade and Economic
Analysis (OTEA), a department of the ITA, conducts a comprehensive
program of data development, dissemination, and research and analysis on international
and domestic trade and investment issues to support trade promotion and
trade policy responsibilities of Trade Development, International Trade
Administration, Department of Commerce and U.S. Government organizations
and officials. The office also coordinates the trade policy implementation
activities of the Trade Development unit. Some of information provided
by the OTEA is listed below.
U.S. Foreign Trade Highlights
Over 100 tables of goods & services trade by country and region.
(Downloadable files available).
U.S. Foreign Trade Update
Up-to-date monthly analysis of U.S. trade balances with tables on goods
trade.
Foreign Trade Reference Room
A facility open to the public for researching foreign export markets.
Statistics available from U.S., other countries, and international organizations.
Trade Policy Information System
Descriptions of the TPIS and the trade statistics available. Current information
on the system replacement effort and training.
State Export Data
Exports by state to the world and selected markets for 1987-1997.
(Downloadable files available).
Metropolitan Area Exports
An export performance report on over 250 U.S. cities for 1993-1996 (Downloadable
files available). 133 New Tables
WHAT'S NEW
Updates of all information listed above
are reported here.
International Portals http://www.firstgov.gov/ - select "The US in the World" for a
list of countries with links to government data sources for
each country and "Related links" which include the following:
Countries & Regions
Current Travel Warnings
Embassies and Overseas Posts
Emergency Services Overseas
Export Advice
Export Assistance in your Area
Export Online Filing System
Foreign Embassies in the U.S.
Foreign News
Foreign Per Diem Rates for U.S. Government Travelers
Foreign Service Exam
Global Images
International Topics & Issues
International Trade
Military Personnel Lifelines
Military Records Requests
Fact Sheet
Online Request Form
Passports
Peace Corps
Refugee Resettlement
Refugees
Services for American Citizens Abroad
State Exports to Countries and Regions
Travel Services and Information
U.S. State Department
The World Factbook
USA Trade -- Your Global Business Partner Online http://www.usatradeonline.govThe U.S. Commercial Service offers valuable assistance
to help your business export goods and services to
markets worldwide. From this site you can access a
global listing of trade events, international market
research, and practical tools to help with every step of
the export process. USATrade.gov and the U.S. Commercial
Service are ready to help your business prosper in
today's global economy.
Country Commercial Guides
The Country Commercial Guides (CCG) are prepared by US Embassy
Staff once a year and contain information on the business and
economic situation of foreign countries and the political
climate as it affects U.S. business. Each CCG contains the
same chapters, and an appendix, which include topics such as
marketing, trade regulations, investment climate, and business
travel.
For almost any marketing research project, an analysis of available secondary information is a useful and inexpensive first step. Although there are information gaps, particularly for detailed market information, the situation on data availability and reliability is improving. The principal agencies that collect and publish information useful in international business are presented here, with some notations regarding selected publications.
A. Web sites for International Marketing
1. www.stat-usa.gov. STAT-USA/Internet is clearly the single most important source of data on the Internet. STAT-USA, a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economics and Statistics Administration, produces and distributes at a nominal subscription fee the most extensive government-sponsored business, economic, and trade information databases in the world today, including the National Trade Data Bank (see section B6 of this appendix), Economic Bulletin Board, and Global Business Procurement Opportunities. 2. www.ita.doc.gov. The Web site of the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration provides export assistance, including information about trade events, trade statistics, tariffs and taxes, marketing research, and so forth. 3. www.usatradeonline.gov. Provides import and export information on more than 18,000 commodities, but the user must subscribe. 4. www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/. The U.S. Census Bureau provides a variety of international trade statistics. 5. www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html. Find the CIA World Factbook here, as well as other pertinent trade information. 6. www.customs.ustreas.gov. The U.S. Customs Service provides information regarding customs procedures and regulations. 7. www.opic.gov. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) provides information regarding its services. 8. www.exim.gov. The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) provides information related to trade financing services provided by the U.S. government. 9. www.imf.org. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) provides information about the IMF and international banking and finance. 10. www.wto.org. The World Trade Organization (WTO) provides information regarding its operations. 11. www.oecd.org. The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) provides information regarding OECD policies and associated data for 29 member countries. 12. www.jetro.go.jp. The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is the best source for data on the Japanese market. 13. www.euromonitor.com. Euromonitor is a company providing a variety of data and reports on international trade and marketing. 14. www.webofculture.com. The Web of Culture provides a variety of data on cultural dimensions such as language, gestures, and religion for a large number of countries. 15. University-based Web sites. Notable sites connected to several data sources include the Michigan State University Center for International Business Education and Research (http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp) and the University of California at Berkeley (www.lib.berkeley.edu/BUSI/bbg18.html). 16. http://iserve.wtca.org. The World Trade Centers Association provides information about services provided by the World Trade Centers in the United States, including export assistance, trade leads, training programs, and trade missions. 17. www.worldtrademag.com.World Trade magazine provides online its annual Resource Guide to products, goods, and services for international trade.
B. U.S. Government Sources
The U.S. government actively promotes the expansion of U.S. business into international trade. In the process of keeping U.S. businesses informed of foreign opportunities, the U.S. government generates a considerable amount of general and specific market data for use by international market analysts. The principal source of information from the U.S. government is the Department of Commerce, which makes its services available to U.S. businesses in a variety of ways. First, information and assistance are available either through personal consultation in Washington, D.C., or through any of the US&FCS (U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service) district offices of the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce located in key cities in the United States. Second, the Department of Commerce works closely with trade associations, chambers of commerce, and other interested associations in providing information, consultation, and assistance in developing international commerce. Third, the department publishes a wide range of information available to interested persons at nominal cost.
1. Foreign Trade Report FT410. U.S. exports—commodity by country. The FT410 provides a statistical record of all merchandise shipped from the United States to foreign countries, including both quantity and dollar value of these exports to each country during the month covered by the report. Additionally, it contains cumulative export statistics from the first of the calendar year. You can learn which of more than 150 countries have bought any of more than 3,000 U.S. products. By checking the FT410 over a period of three or four years, you can determine which countries have the largest and most consistent markets for specific products. 2. International Economic Indicators. Quarterly reports providing basic data on the economy of the United States and seven other principal industrial countries. Statistics included are gross national product, industrial production, trade, prices, finance, and labor. This report measures changes in key competitive indicators and highlights economic prospects and recent trends in the eight countries. 3. Market Share Reports. An annual publication prepared from special computer runs shows U.S. participation in foreign markets for manufactured products during the last five-year period. The 88 reports in a country's series represent import values for the U.S. and eight other leading suppliers, and the U.S. percentage share for about 900 manufactured products. 4. International Marketing Information Series. Publications that focus on foreign market opportunities for U.S. suppliers. This series is designed to assemble, under a common format, a diverse group of publications and reports available to the U.S. business community. The following publications are made available on a continuing basis under this program:
Global market surveys. Extensive foreign market research is conducted on target industries and target business opportunities identified by the Commerce Department. Findings are developed into global market surveys. Each survey condenses foreign market research conducted in 15 or more nations into individual country market summaries.
Country market sectoral surveys. These in-depth reports cover the most promising U.S. export opportunities in a single foreign country. About 15 leading industrial sectors usually are included. Surveys currently available deal with Brazil, Nigeria, Venezuela, Indonesia, and Japan.
Overseas Business Reports (OBR). These reports provide basic background data for businesspeople that are evaluating various export markets or are considering entering new areas. They include both developing and industrialized countries.
Foreign economic trends and their implications in the United States. This series gives in-depth reviews of current business conditions, current and near-term prospects, and the latest available data on the gross national product, foreign trade, wage and price indexes, unemployment rates, and construction starts.
Business America. The Department of Commerce's principal periodical, a monthly news magazine, provides an up-to-date source of worldwide business activity, covering topics of general interest and new developments in world and domestic commerce.
5. Trade Opportunities Program (TOP). Overseas trade opportunities, private and government, are transmitted to the TOP computers through various American embassies and councils. U.S. business firms can indicate the product or products they wish to export and the types of opportunities desired (such as direct sales and representation) in countries of interest. The TOP computer matches the product interest of the foreign buyer's agent or distributor with the U.S. subscriber's interest. When a match occurs, a trade opportunity notice is mailed to the U.S. business subscriber. 6. National Trade Data Bank (NTDB). The Commerce Department provides a number of the data sources mentioned previously plus others in their computerized information system in the National Trade Data Bank. The NTDB is a one-step source for export promotion and international trade data collected by 17 U.S. government agencies. Updated each month and released on the Internet, the NTDB enables the reader to access more than 100,000 trade-related documents. The NTDB contains the latest census data on U.S. imports and exports by commodity and country; the complete CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) World Factbook; current market research reports compiled by the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service; the complete Foreign Traders Index, which contains over 55,000 names and addresses of individuals and firms abroad that are interested in importing U.S. products; State Department country reports on economic policy and trade practices; the publications Export Yellow Pages, A Basic Guide to Exporting, and the National Trade Estimates Report on Foreign Trade Barriers; the Export Promotion Calendar; and many other data series. The NTDB is also available at over 900 federal depository libraries nationwide.
In addition, the Department of Commerce provides a host of other information services. Besides the material available through the Department of Commerce, consultation and information are available from a variety of other U.S. agencies. For example, the Department of State, Bureau of the Census, and Department of Agriculture can provide valuable assistance in the form of services and information for an American business interested in international operations.
C. Other Sources
1. Bibliographies
International Directory of Business Information Sources and Services. 2d ed. London: Europa. Provides directory information on over 5,000 organizations, including details of libraries and publications.
Weekly, James K., Information for International Marketing: An Annotated Guide to Sources (Bibliographies and Indexes in Economics and Economic History, No. 3). Westport, CT: Greenwood. Lists and briefly annotates more than 190 government publications, databases, periodicals, and basic reference sources. Appendixes present brief directory listings for publishers, state trade contacts, U.S. Foreign Service offices in foreign countries, and foreign embassies in the United States, the U.S. International Trade Administration, and international marketing journals.
World Directory of Marketing Information Sources. London: Euromonitor. [Also on CD-ROM.] Provides 6,000 entries, including libraries, market research companies, trade associations, trade journals, online sources, and international business contacts.
2. Directories
American Export Register. New York: Thomas Publishing, International Division. Annual. Includes an alphabetical product list with over 220,000 product and service listings in more than 4,200 separate categories as well as lists of U.S. and foreign embassies and consulates, chambers of commerce, world trade center clubs, U.S. and world ports, and banks.
Arpan, Jeffrey S., and David A. Ricks. Directory of Foreign Manufacturers in the United States. 5th enl. ed. Atlanta: Publishing Services Division, College of Business Administration, Georgia State University. Lists nearly 6,000 foreign-owned manufacturing firms in the United States.
D&B Principal International Businesses Directory. Wilton, CT: Dun's Marketing Services. Annual. [Also on CD-ROM.] Covers approximately 55,000 companies in 140 countries, listing businesses by product classification and alphabetically.
Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries. 14th ed. New York: World Trade Academy Press. Alphabetically lists U.S. firms with foreign subsidiaries and affiliates operating in over 125 countries; also lists the foreign operations grouped by countries.
Directory of United States Importers and Directory of U.S. Exporters. New York: Journal of Commerce. Annual. [Also on CD-ROM.] Contain verified business profiles on a total of 60,000 active trading companies. These annual guides also include a product index with the Harmonized Commodity Code numbers, customs information, foreign consulates, embassies, and international banks.
Encyclopedia of Global Industries. Detroit: Gale. Alphabetically covers 125 vital international industries, providing in-depth information including statistics, graphs, tables, charts, and market share.
Export Yellow Pages. Washington, DC: Venture Publishing North-America; produced in cooperation with the Office of Export Trading Company Affairs and International Trade Administration. Annual. Provides detailed information on over 12,000 export service providers and trading companies, agents, distributors, and companies outside the United States; also includes a product/service index and an alphabetical index.
FINDEX: The Worldwide Directory of Market Research Reports. London: Euromonitor. Annual. [Also on CD-ROM.] Abstracts and indexes more than 9,000 market research and company reports, spanning 12 broad product sectors.
International Brands and Their Companies. Detroit: Gale. Annual. Lists nearly 65,000 international consumer brand names attributed to 15,000 manufacturers, importers, and distributors, giving for each brand a description of the product, company name, and a code for the source from which the information was taken.
International Companies and Their Brands. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale. Lists 25,000 manufacturers, importers, and distributors and the nearly 80,000 brand names attributed to them, giving for each company the firm's address and telephone number and an alphabetical listing of its trade names.
International Directory of Corporate Affiliations. New Providence, NJ: National Register Publishing. Semiannual. Contains critical information on over 2,300 corporate parents with revenues of more than $50 million annually, 42,000 subsidiaries worldwide, and 54,000 key executives.
International Tradeshow. Frankfurt: m+a Publishers for Fairs, Exhibitions and Conventions. Semiannual. Contains detailed information on global trade fairs and exhibitions that are of national and international significance.
Trade Directories of the World. San Diego: Croner Publications. Looseleaf. Includes more than 3,000 trade, industrial, and professional directories in 1,000 categories in 175 countries.
World Directory of Consumer Brands and Their Owners. London: Euromonitor, 1996. Provides information on 17 market sectors, including consumer electronics, consumer healthcare, and leisure and entertainment.
World Directory of Trade and Business Associations. London: Euromonitor, 1995. [Also on CD-ROM.] Contains entries from a broad range of sectors, giving details of publications produced, aims and objectives of the association, and whether they provide assistance in further research.
World Retail Directory and Sourcebook. 2d ed. London: Euromonitor. [Also on CD-ROM.] Identifies over 2,000 retailers, breaking them down by country and classifying them by organization and type of product sold.
Worldwide Franchise Directory. Detroit: Gale. Irregular. Provides information concerning some 1,574 franchising companies in 16 countries, arranged by type of business in more than 80 categories.
3. Marketing Guides
Export Market Locator. Wilton, CT: Dun & Bradstreet. Annual. [Also on CD-ROM.] Identifies the five largest and five fastest-growing global markets for a product; software version provides statistical information on more than 5,000 product lines, allowing searching by SIC code, Harmonized Commodity Code, or keyword commodity description. Reports available for single products.
Exporters Encyclopaedia. Wilton, CT: Dun & Bradstreet. Annual. Comprehensive world marketing guide, in five sections; section two, "Export Markets," gives important market information on 220 countries (import and exchange regulations, shipping services, communications data, postal information, currency, banks, and embassies); other sections contain general export information. Also available are regional guides for Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America, and export guides for single countries.
International Business Handbook. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press. Includes a global overview as well as separate chapters on 15 countries or regions, covering such topics as consumer cultures, business customs, methods of entry, and global strategies.
Reference Book for World Traders: A Guide for Exporters and Importers. San Diego: Croner Publications. Looseleaf. Provides information required for market research and for planning and executing exports and imports to and from all foreign countries; under each country it provides a listing of services to exporters and importers, including marketing research organizations, marketing publications, and custom brokers.
U.S. Custom House Guide. Hightstown, NJ: K-III Directory Co. Annual. Provides a comprehensive guide to importing, including seven main sections: import how-to, ports sections, directory of services, tariff schedules (Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States), special and administrative provisions, custom regulations, and samples of import documents.
4. Demographic Data
Consumer Europe. London: Euromonitor. Annual. Provides demographic data on consumer products for the major countries of Europe and Eastern Europe, totals for the European Community, and comparison among the European Community, Japan, and the United States.
European Marketing Data and Statistics. London: Euromonitor, Annual. [Also on CD-ROM.] Presents data from 32 European countries on everything from economic indicators to transport infrastructure in spreadsheet form, including 10-year trend data for each country and a full list of useful information sources.
International Marketing Data and Statistics. London: Euromonitor. Annual. [Also on CD-ROM.] Presents extensive marketing data for all countries outside Europe, including 10-year trend data for most series.
World Market Share Reporter. 2d ed. Detroit: Gale. Provides market share data for hundreds of products, services, and commodities in countries of regions other than North America and Mexico.
5. Periodical Indexes
ABI/INFORM. Charlotte, NC: UMI/Data Courier. Weekly. [Computer file and CD-ROM.] Indexes and abstracts articles from some 1,000 business and management periodicals published worldwide. More than half the journals are indexed cover-to-cover, the others selectively. Abstracts are about 200 words long; available online on Data-Star, European Space Agency, Lexis-Nexis, Orbit Search Service, STN International, University Microfilm International, Ovid Technologies, and Knight-Ridder Information; and on CD-ROM as ABI/INFORM Global Edition.
Predicasts F & S Index Europe. Foster City, CA: Information Access Co. Monthly. [Print file, computer file, and CD-ROM.] Covers company, product, and industry information for the European Community (Common Market), Scandinavia, other regions in Western Europe, the former USSR, and East European countries in financial publications, business-oriented newspapers, trade magazines, and special reports; available online through Ovid Technologies, Data-Star, and Knight-Ridder Information and on CD-ROM as Predicasts F & S Index Plus Text. Abstracts in the computer file and on CD-ROM vary in length from 400 to 600 words and contain full text for many shorter articles.
Predicasts F & S Index International. Foster City, CA: Information Access Co. Monthly. [Print file, computer file, and CD-ROM.] Covers company, product, and industry information for Canada, Latin America, Africa, the Mideast, Asia, and Oceania in financial publications, business-oriented newspapers, trade magazines, and special reports; available online through Ovid Technologies, Data-Star, and Knight-Ridder Information and on CD-ROM as Predicasts F & S Index Plus Text. Abstracts in the computer file and on CD-ROM vary in length from 400 to 600 words and contain full text for many shorter articles.
6. Periodicals
Business Briefings. Business Africa, Business Asia, Business China, Business Eastern Europe, Business Europe, Business Latin America, Business Middle East, Russia, India Business Intelligence, Crossborder Monitor, Ostwirtschafts-report. New York: Business International. Biweekly or monthly. [Also on CD-ROM.] Reports issued for each title provide current news about companies, products, markets, and recent developments in laws and practices.
Business Operations Report. Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Latin America, Asia. [Also on CD-ROM.] Provides hands-on operating information for setting up or operating a business, including information and commentary on new marketing and sales challenges and import and export policies.
China Hand. New York: Business International. Monthly. [Also on CDROM.] Provides comparative information on provinces and sites for setting up new operations and keeping up-to-date with regulatory changes and business developments.
East Asian Business Intelligence. Washington, DC: International Executive Reports. Biweekly. Provides sales and contracting opportunities for East Asian countries, including a brief description of the business opportunity, the person to contact, and the address, phone, and fax numbers.
Investing Licensing and Trading Abroad. New York: Business International. Semiannual. [Also on CD-ROM.] Directed toward companies that export directly or that have established subsidiaries, joint ventures, or licensing arrangements abroad; outlines business requirements for overcoming restrictions and other legal hurdles in 60 countries.
Marketing in Europe. New York: Economists Intelligence Unit. Monthly. Contains detailed studies of markets for consumer products in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands, including food, drink, tobacco, clothing, furniture, leisure goods, chemists' goods, household goods, and domestic appliances.
Market Research International. London: Euromonitor. Monthly. Each issue features diverse products and markets, focusing on international market review, global market trends and developments, U.S. market report, Japan market report, emerging market report, and market focus.
World Commodity Forecasts: Industrial Raw Materials and Food, Feedstuffs and Beverages. New York: Business International. Annual, with updates. Provide analysis of market trends, with specific price forecasts up to two years ahead for 28 commodities.
