How Do I Research Any Country?

• Current Events and Media |
• Country Overviews |
• Culture and Lifestyles |
• Regulation and Laws |
• Markets and Industries |
• Statistics |
• Finance and Accounting |
• Company Information

       Do you know of a country that you and several others are researching? Please use Ask a Librarian to let us know. We will make a guide for you!

Current Events and Media

       BBC Country Profiles – general profile with links to media outlets and related news

• advertising AND Thailand
• broadcasting AND China
• internet AND Switzerland
• journalism AND Indonesia
• mass media AND Greece
• radio AND India
• television AND Mexico

Country Overviews

       Business Source Complete
This database has reports from major research and marketing firms, like Datamonitor, Global Insight, OECD Economic Surveys, Country Watch, and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

1. Type the name of your country in the search box.
2. In the Search Options area, select "Country Report" from the Publication Type drop-down menu.
3. Click Search.

      Passport (GMID)
Country Profiles contain overview information about geography, government, political risk, international disputes, main industries, the economy, a statistical summary, and the latest import and export highlights.

1. Hover your mouse over Countries & Consumers
2. Under Consumers, select Consumer Trends & Lifestyles
3. Under Analysis Finder, from the first drop-down menu, select an option relevant to your research: Country Reports, Country Pulse, Consumer Lifestyles, Future Watch, Country in 2020, etc.
4. From the second drop-down menu, choose your country.
5. From any of these reports, explore the following options on the left navigation panel:
   • Navigate through the report using the Table of Contents
   • Explore additional country reports and analyses from More Related Items

OR

1. Under Dashboards: Visualize Data, select an option from the Countries & Consumers menu (e.g. Consumer Trends & Lifestyles), then click Launch Dashboard
2. Once the dashboard is open, choose your country from the colored map. Use the navigation menu on the left to explore different categories and characteristics.

       LexisNexis Academic
The country profiles section of LexisNexis allows you to limit country searches to Business Opportunities, Risk Reports, or Economic & Political News.

1. Select the country's name from the first drop-down menu in the "Research Countries" box.
2. Select a source from the second drop-down menu.
3. Click the blue "Go" button.
4. Use the categories on the left side of the results screen to refine your results.

       Websites:

• CIA World Factbook
• CountryReports
• U.S. State Department Backgound Notes
• GlobalEDGE
• World Bank

Culture and Lifestyles

Learn about culture, traditions, customs, consumer lifestyles, and business style in a particular country.

      CultureGrams
Country reports on 187 cultures of the world.

1. Click on World Edition
2. Click on the region
3. Click on the country name

       Passport (GMID)
Find reports on the day-to-day life and spending habits of people in your country.

1. Under Dashboards: Visualize Data, select "Consumer Trends & Lifestyles" from the Countries & Consumers menu, then click Launch Dashboard
2. Once the dashboard is open, choose your country from the colored map. Use the navigation menu on the left to explore different categories and characteristics.

      Websites:

• Country Insights
• European Social Survey Education Net
• World Values Survey

       E-books and Books
The following books and e-books about intercultural communication have chapters on individual countries, regional patterns, or elements of communication.

• Martin, J. S., & Chaney, L. H. (2012). Global business etiquette: A guide to international communication and customs. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger.
• Moran, R. T., Harris, P. R., & Moran, S. V. (2011). Managing cultural differences: Global leadership strategies for cross-cultural business success. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Morrison, T., & Conaway, W. A. (2012). Kiss, bow, or shake hands, sales and marketing: The essential cultural guide--from presentations and promotions to communicating and closing. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  

       Search for other e-books and books about intercultural communication. Several focus on individual countries or discuss culture in the context of working with others and cultural intelligence.

Regulation and Laws

• FindLaw
• Ease of Doing Business Rankings
• Doing Business Law Library

       LexisNexis Academic
Find information on legation, cases, acts and treaties.

1. Click "International Law" at the left side of the screen
2. Click on European Union, Commonwealth & Foreign Nations
3. Select the Natural Language radio button
4. Check the appropriate box under sources
5. Enter the country name and click on Search

Search for law reviews covering International Law:

1. Click on Legal in the top navigation bar
2. Select the Natural Language radio button
3. Select International Law from the drop-down menu
4. Enter the country name and click on Search

       Tip: Industry overviews sometimes cover legal or regulatory issues affecting that industry. (How do I find industry information?)
     

Markets and Industries

       Passport (GMID)

1. Hover your mouse over Industries in the top menu
2. Select your industry
3. Under Analysis Finder, select "Industry Overview" from the first drop-down menu and your country from the second drop-down menu

       Business Source Complete
Search for articles in Business Source Complete and add the country name to your search terms. For example:

• mobile phones AND Greece
• telecommunications AND Greece
• Greece and 517110 – In the Limit section, click on More Options and enter the code next to NAICS/Industry Code (How do I find SIC/NAICS codes?)

Statistics about a country

• National Statistical Agency websites
• NationMaster

       Passport (GMID)

1. Under Dashboards: Visualize Data, select an option from the Countries & Consumers menu (e.g. Consumer Trends & Lifestyles), then click Launch Dashboard
2. Once the dashboard is open, choose your country from the colored map. Use the navigation menu on the left to explore different categories and characteristics.
3. Look for the statistics icon () to open statistical reports

Finance and Accounting

• International Monetary Fund (IMF)

       Mint Global
Search for companies in the country based on financial criteria, like Turnover, P/L, Shareholder Funds, Total Assets, or percent growth/decrease.

1. Click on Companies
2. Click on Other search criteria
3. Enter country name next to Location, or use look-up
4. Click on the Financials & Employees tab
5. Enter the appropriate information

      Locate scanned financial reports in language of filing

1. Click on Original Documents
2. Enter company name or ticker symbol

      Or

1. Select the country from the drop down menu
2. Click on Search to retrieve all reports for that country

       Accounting and Tax
Search for articles that discuss the country.

1. Add the country name to the search box
2. Change the drop down box to Location
3. Add additional search terms if desired

       Passport (GMID)

1. Under Dashboards: Visualize Data, select "Economy, Finance and Trade" from the Countries & Consumers menu, then click Launch Dashboard
2. Once the dashboard is open, choose your country from the colored map. Use the navigation menu on the left to explore different categories and characteristics.

Company Information