Export.gov
http://www.export.gov
Portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the federal government. Includes market and industry research, statistics, and trade leads.
Global Edge - Resource Desk
http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp
Formerly the International Business Resources Index. From the Center for International Business Education and Research, Michigan State University. Links to news, country-specific information, and data on the Web.
International Business Etiquette,
Culture, Manners
http://www.international-business-etiquette.com/
From the non-profit International Business Center, a website offering tips
on business etiquette for people conducting business internationally. Guides
are available for certain countries and for regions of the world as well.
Doing Business - The World Bank Group
http://www.doingbusiness.org/
From the World Bank, ratings and rankings of the risk and feasability of doing
business in countries. Users
can also create customized reports.
Small Business Administration: International Trade
http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/internationaltrade/index.html
From the US Small Business Administration. A guide for small business owners on exporting and competing in a global marketplace.
Universal Currency Converter
http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Interactive foreign exchange rate conversion tool. Rates are quoted "live".
World Trade Organization
http://www.wto.org
Information on the activities of the international organization promoting global free trade. Includes texts of international agreements.
CorporateInformation.com
http://www.corporateinformation.com
Free snapshot information on companies worldwide (reports with detailed analysis are available for purchase).
Kompass
http://us.kompass.com/
International business-to-business directory. Search for companies by product category and/or country.
BBC News - Country Profiles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm
Brief overviews are supplemented with factsheets, profiles of current leaders, and descriptions of the media environment. Related news stories are also provided.
CIA WorldFactBook
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook
Background and vital statistics on the nations of the world.
Country Studies (Library
of Congress)
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/
Provides social, economic, political and national security information on over
100 countries. Reports can be browsed by country, or searches may be conducted
across combinations of countries.
Center
for Intercultural Learning
http://www.international.gc.ca/cfsi-icse/cil-cai/index-eng.asp
From the Canadian Center for Intercultural Learning, a series entitled "Country
Insights" provides snapshot information for a country as well as valuable
information on customs and cultural norms. Selection a region or country, and
then select categories of cultural information such as "Communication Styles",
"Dress, Punctuality and Formality", "Preferred Managerial Qualities",
"Conflicts in the Workplace", and more. The site provides a brief
to lengthy narrative on the topic.
Travel
Warnings and Consular Information Sheets
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html
From the US Department of State. Assessments of the risks of travel and
the laws affecting travelers in more than 100 countries.
Resources for MGMT338
http://lib.westfield.ma.edu/mgmt338.htm
A webpage listing select websites from these pages and also library databases
for researching the economy, infrastructure, political
climate, culture and customs, and overall investment climate for countries.
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International Labor Comparisons
http://www.bls.gov/fls/
Comparisons of labor, employment, and productivity data for the
United States, Europe, and Asia.
Countries and Regions
http://www.worldbank.org/countries
From the World Bank Group. Reports on developing countries, stressing measures to alleviate poverty.
IMF Country information
http://www.imf.org/external/country/index.htm
From the International Monetary Fund. Reports on selected countries include
either commentary on current economic issues, economic data, or both.
IMF World
Economic Outlook
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/weorepts.htm
From the International Monetary Fund, the world economic outlook gives an overview
of the global economy, noting current issues affecting certain countries and
industries. The Outlook also includes statistical information in the appendix.
Market Research Index:Country
Commercial Guides
http://www.export.gov/mrktresearch/
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.
To access: At the Market Research page click Country & Industry Reports. Enter login information. At the search screen select a country, choose Country Commercial Guides in the Report Type field and click Go.
You may also select an industry and view market research reports specific to an industry in a particular country.
UNdata
http://data.un.org/Default.aspx
A searchable database of statistics on Education, Employment, Health, Industry, Population, Trade, and more. Quick and easy to use, this database was created by the United Nations.
Demographic Yearbook (Annuaire Demographique)
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm
From the United Nations, a publication featuring tables of statistics on birth, age, sex, and other demographics for countries across time.
Trade
Data/Trade Reports
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/index.html
From the US Bureau of the Census Tables a website featuring news and data regarding U.S. foreign trade.
International Trade Administration
http://trade.gov/
The website of the International Trade Administration features news and reports on U.S. foreign trade.
US Trade by Geographical Region
http://dataweb.usitc.gov/scripts/Regions.asp
From the US International Trade Commission, this site allows users to search for US imports, exports and overall trade balances by geographic region. Highlighted results link to a breakdown of total trade amount by product.
US Trade by Partner
http://dataweb.usitc.gov/scripts/cy_m3_run.asp
Table presents US imports, exports, and trade balance by partner country in
a descending order of trade turnover (imports plus exports). Highlighted amounts
link to a breakout of trade totals by product.
NationMaster.com
http://www.nationmaster.com/
An independent website which has compiled data on a broad range of topics for
countries worldwide. The topics include lifestyle, energy, transportation, media,
currency, education and more. Users can browse all the statistics for one country,
or view tables comparing countries on one criteria. A link for the source of
the data is included and should be consulted before citing data.
NAFTA
http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/Policy/NAFTA/nafta.asp
From the USDA, a description and the full-text of the North American Free Trade
Agreement.
USITC Interactive Tariff and Trade
Database
http://dataweb.usitc.gov/
Search for current tariff rates by product description, keyword or Harmonized
Tariff Schedule ID. Query result includes value of US imports for the product,
and access to a breakdown of this figure by country. You must create an account
(no charge) to use the system. From the US International Trade Commission. See
also the most recent US
Harmonized Tariff Schedule Online; full authoritative text of US tariff
schedule.
Business Opportunities
http://www.ibf.com/bo/ibbo.htm
From International Business Forum. Lists of products, services, and investments offered and required in international trade.
m + a Expo Database
http://www.expodatabase.com/
A world directory of upcoming trade shows, searchable by sector and country.