The purpose of this guide is to lead the beginning researcher to the most important and useful sources in the Reference Area for the study of International Business. This list is not exhaustive; please consult with a Reference Librarian for additional suggestions.

For related subject reserch guides see Business and Economics and Company and Industry Information. 

General

The A to Z of International Trade.   Frank Reynolds.   Paris: ICC, 2002.
(REF HF 1373 R49 2002)
Dictionary of international business terms and acronyms. Includes Focus-On sections which give special coverage to topics inlcuding Air Transport, e-Commerce, Insurance, and Sales Contracts.

Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources, 16^th ed.  Ed. by James Woy. Detroit: Gale Research, 2002.
(REF HF 5351 E48 2002)
An alphabetical subject guide to periodicals, directories, organizations, and research centers.

International Business Information: How to Get it, How to Use It.  2^nd ed.  Ruth A. Pagell and Michael Halperin.  Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1998.
(REF HF 54.5 P33 1998)
A guide to information sources, both print and electronic, on companies, marketing, statistics, and international transactions.

The McGraw-Hill Dictionary of International Trade and Finance.  Carolyn R. Gipson.  New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994.
(REF HF 1373 G57 1994)
Provides brief definitions of over 4,000 terms, acronyms, and abbreivations used in the field.

The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics.  Ed. by John Eatwell.  New York: Stockton Press, 1998.
(REF HB 61 N49 1998)
A comprehensive encyclopedia of economics.   Relevant articles include International Capital Flows, International Finance, International Indebtedness, International Monetary Policy, and International Trade.  Includes bibliographies.

 

Company and Industry Information

Encyclopedia of Global Industries.  Ed. by Diane Sawinski and Wendy H. Mason.  Detroit: Gale, 1996.
(REF HD 2324 E53 1996)
A guide to 115 international industries, giving background, current status, research and technology, and major countries.

Hoover's Handbook of World Business. Austin: Hoovers, 2005.
(REF HG4009.H66 2006)
A handbook of company profiles including a description of the company's operations, history, top executives, competitors, and 10 years of historical financials and stock price. The book also features a compendium of lists ranking companies and executives by certain criteria. Finally the publication includes a collection of indexes by industry, by location headquarters, and a cross-reference index of executives.

International Directory of Company Histories.  Ed. by Thomas Derdak.  Chicago: St. James Press, 1988-
(REF HD 2721 I63)
Provides detailed histories, typically three pages long, for major companies, both American and foreign.  Use the index in the latest volume to locate a company.

The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising.  Ed. by John McDonough and Karen Egolf.  New York : Fitzroy-Dearborn, 2003.

(REF HF 5803 .A38 2003)

Provides profiles of the advertising industry in many countries, including background on media and markets.

 

Country-Specific Information

CIA World Factbook.   Washington, D.C. : Brassey's, 2001.
(REF G 122 U56 2003) Also online at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
Background and vital statistics on the nations of the world.

CultureGrams 2002 Standard Edition.  Orem, UT: CultureGrams, 2001.
(REF GT 150 C85 2002)
Brief reports covering geography, history, people, customs and courtesy, lifestyle, society, and travel regulations. Volume One includes reports for the Americas and Europe; Volume Two includes reports for Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

Nations of the World: a political, economic, & business handbook.  4^th ed.  Millerton, N.Y.: Grey House Publishing, 2004.
(REF HC 10 N37 2004)
Profiles of 231 countries detailing political and economic envrionments, key facts, and business contact information.

The Resources of the Third World.  Guy Arnold.   Chicago : Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1997.
(REF HC 59.7 A83358 1997)
Country surveys provide basic statistics and profiles of business and economic resources.

2007 Index of Economic Freedom. Tim Kane, Kim R. Holmes, and Mary Anastasia O'Grady. Washington, D.C. : Heritage Foundation, 2007.
(REF HB95 .I48 2007)
A country-by-country rating and ranking of the economic freedom granted to the respective citizens. Economic freedoms include Property Rights, Trade Freedom (from barriers and regulations), Fiscal Freedom (from high tax rates), and more. The publication also includes articles on Global Inequality, Labor Freedom, and the methodology employed to measure Economic Freedom.

Data Sources

Foreign Trade of the United States.  1st ed.  Ed. by Courtenay Slater.  Washington, D.C.:  Bernan Press, 1999.
(REF HF 1416.5 F68 1999)
Statistics for trade between the U.S. and the international community. Also includes export data for the 50 states and major metropolitan areas.

The Illustrated Book of World Rankings.  5^th ed.  Ed. by George Thomas Kurian.   Armonk, NY:  Sharpe Reference, 2001.
(REF HA 155 K87 2001)
Rankings of world nations across a number of categories including business and investment, economy, finance, trade, infrastructure, and industry.

Statistical Yearbook.  New York: United Nations, 1998.
(REF HA 12.5 U63)
Covers population, education, health, culture, communications, industrial production, labor, energy, environment, international trade, and international finance.  Tables provide data for all nations, as available.

World Development Indicators.  Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2003.
 (REF HC 59.15 W656 2003)
Compares social and economic statistics for all nations of the world. Topics include income, education, development, energy, economy, and environment.

Ely Library Catalog. For books, audio-visual materials, etc. located in the Ely Library.
(Web site: http://catalog.lib.wsc.ma.edu/)
Use the Library of Congress Subject Headings (Big Red Books) located at the Reference Desk for more possibilities—or browse the online catalog for ideas. A few suggestions are given here.

Note: the subheadings following United States can be added to the name of any country or region.

Business Source Premier  Limited to WSC community
http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Business Source
Indexes articles from 1,450 periodicals. Some references include links to the full text of the articles, which can be saved to disk, sent to you by email, or printed. Also includes company profiles and in-depth country reviews.

General BusinessFile ASAP  Limited to WSC community
http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#General BusinessFile
Indexes articles from 1,000 periodicals, plus company profiles and investment reports. Some references include links to the full text of the articles, which can be saved to disk, sent to you by email, or printed.

Mergent Online (Moody's Company Data); Limited to WSC community
http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Moody's Company
Business and financial data on 11,000 public corporations in the U.S. Plus Country Reports and EDGAR filings.

Web Sites

WWW Resources by Subject: International Business (Ely Library at Westfield State College)
http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/intlbus.htm
Links to Web Sites on International Business.

Country Commercial Guides
http://www.export.gov/mrktresearch/index.asp
Found in the U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library, each report covers a country's economic and political environments, business regulations, investment climate, and leading sectors for US exports. 

URL: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/guidbus3.htm Page maintained by Oliver Zeff Last updated August 8, 2007