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MKT 477: Export-Import Management: Country Analysis
Secondary/Data Sources

This assignment guide was created to assist students in locating secondary/data sources for the course related project.

The project focuses on the research required to determine the feasibility of importing or exporting the chosen product. The project covers competition, pricing, shipping, advertising and promotion, legal contraints as well as country research.

The first part of the project involves analyzing a country's geographical, social/cultural, economic, regulatory & political environments as well as technological readiness. The second part of the project concerns the development of a marketing plan for a specific product/service within an assigned country.

The guide focuses on suggested strategies and best places to begin research efforts. For information & assistance in using any of the sources, please contact library staff:

• In person, at the MCOB Library Service Desk
• By phone @ 251-414-8067
• By email @ dlharrington@usouthal.edu

For specialized assistance, please contact the Business Reference Librarian to set up a consultation appointment:

• By phone @ 251-460-7998
• By email @ dlharrington@usouthal.edu

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Introduction	Competitive Analysis/Industry	Marketing Plan/4 P's
Country Analysis	Demographics/Target Market	Advertising/Promotion
Export/Import	Brand/Product	Citation Style Guides

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Country Analysis:

Background Notes (U.S. Dept. of State) - "Factual publications that provide information on all the countries of the world with which the US has relations.  They include facts on the country's land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and its relations with other countries and the United States."

Britannica World Data Analyst
"Combining detailed statistics with powerful tools for analysis and display, this resource features a unique collection of in-depth information about the countries of the world and allows you to create interesting and information comparative charts and tables. "

Business Source Premier (EBSCO)

For Country Reports:

• Click on the 'Advanced Search' tab at the top of the search page
• In the first search box, use the pull-down menu and select 'geographic terms' and enter the country name in the search box
• Click the 'search' button at the top of the screen
• Look to the left of the screen once the results appear and click on 'Country Reports'

Note: Includes reports from Business Monitor International, CountryWatch, Datamonitor, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Global Insight, Going Global, ICON Group International, Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD), PRA Group, Superintendent of Documents.

CIA World Factbook (Central Intelligence Agency) - The CIA provides users with an excellent concise country overview (map, introduction, geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues).

Country Commercial Guides - The Country Commercial Guides publication for each country can be obtained through the Export.gov website.  Click on the link to the left 'Market Research'; choose the link 'country and industry reports'.  You will be asked to register as a Student/Researcher.  Once registered, choose the country and report type 'Country Commercial Guides'.  *The 'Marketing US Products & Services' chapter in these guides are excellent and provide an overview of how to set up business for that country.  *The 'Business Travel' chapter provides cultural and customs information.  Other report types include:  Industry Sector Analysis, International Market Insight, Multilateral Development Bank Report, Market Research - International, Market Research - Global, Trade Directory and Events.

Country Studies/Area Handbook Series (Library of Congress) - "The Country Studies Series  presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world and examines the interrelationships of those systems and the ways they are shaped by cultural factors.  At present, 102 countries and regions are covered.  Notable omissions include Canada, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and other Western nations, as well as a number of African nations." 

Everything International/Market Entry Assistance (Russow/Philadelphia University)

Foreign Trade Statistics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Global Competitiveness Report
MCOB Reference HF 1414 .G559

globalEDGE:  International Business Resource Desk (Michigan State University) - Browse the wealth of data links by categories 'country insights', 'global resources', or 'market potential indicators'. 

Globalization Index
The Globalization Index is located in the journal Foreign Policy and is titled "Measuring Globalization". 

To locate this title in Our Journal List:

Once you click on Our Journal List, enter the name of the journal, magazine or source in the first search box.  If the title is indexed in any of our databases, it will appear on a results list. For the title Foreign Policy, click on Business Source Premier on the results list. When the journal page is on the screen, click on 'search within publication' for the title of the article "Measuring Globalization".

Handbook of Country Risk: A Guide to International Business
MCOB Reference HG 4538 .R57

International Data Base (IDB)- The International Data Base (IDB) offers a variety of demographic indicators for 224 countries and areas of the world. The IDB has provided access to demographic data for over 25 years to governments, academics, other organizations, and the public. It is funded by organizations that sponsor the research of the Census Bureau's International Programs Center.

International Trade Administration

Portals to the World (Library of Congress)

STAT-USA Database/USA Trade Online Database:

The STAT-USA (Globus & NTDB) Database provides access to widely used government publications focused on international trade, country analysis, and economic data. 

USA Trade Online is another database available through STAT-USA.  It provides US export and import information on more than 18,000 commodities world wide. 

The STAT-USA/USA Trade Online Databases are only available in the MCOB & University Library.  Please ask the desk staff to sign you in.

• After the desk staff signs you in, click on the link to Globus/NTDB.

• Look for the category heading 'Market and Country Research'.

• For country overviews: click on the links to 'Country Commercial Guides' & 'Country Background Notes'. 
  
  Note:  Economic profiles & 'How to market in a specific country'  are covered in 'Country Commercial Guides.'

• To determine how a particular product or industry is progressing in your country: click on the links to 'Industry Sector Analysis Report'--browse by country name, 'International Marketing Insight Reports'--browse by country name, and 'Best Market Reports'--browse by industry topic.

World Bank - Choose a specific country from the main page for quickest access to information. 

World Economic Outlook - "The World Economic Outlook presents the IMF staff's analysis and projections of economic developments at the global level, in major country groups (classified by region, stage of development, etc.), and in many individual countries.  It focuses on major economic policy issues as well as on the analysis of economic developments and prospects.  It is usually prepared twice a year, as documentation for meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee, and forms the main instrument of the IMF's global surveillance activities." 

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Last Updated: 1/13/09 DLH