International References

In this Section:

Chapter 40: World Congress: Business Intelligence Briefings: World Markets

This publication is an excellent reference and one you should be familiar with. Unfortunately it's probably too expensive for the average person, so get your local or campus library to purchase an annual copy.
According to the chairman and the managing director of the World Congress, Inc., this year-round reference work includes not only the insights and unique perspectives from some of the most well-known and highly respected leaders of business, industry, and finance, but also offers a road map to the most intriguing areas of global direct foreign investment.

Each year this publication is produced in conjunction with the annual meeting of the World Economic Development Congress. Held immediately before the IMF/World Bank Annual Meeting, it involves a select audience of senior government officials, ministers, ambassadors, chief executive officers of both established and entrepreneurial corporations worldwide, institutional investors, multinational financiers, and international bankers from more than 100 nations.

Chapter 41: International Perspectives of Functional Areas

Business & the Contemporary World: An International Journal of Business, Economics, and Social Policy is a research-rich publication. The editor is S. Prakash Sethi, a well-known researcher (spsbb@cunyvm.cuny.edu). The quarterly issues run around 250 pages, include about 14 articles averaging 20 pages or so, and are fairly well written (i.e., students can read them). This journal offers occasional special issues; for example, Volume IX, Number 1 (1997) focuses on topics such as "Managing in a Global Context: Diversity and Cross-Cultural Challenges." An example can be seen on the sample page.
The Columbia Journal of World Business (ISSN 0022-5428), established in 1963 and published quarterly by Columbia University, (212) 854-3431, is a simply formatted journal of modest size, about 100 pages, that has relevant and nonesoteric articles that provide a decent comfort level for the average student.

Chapter 42: International Newspapers and Newsletters

The European is an excellent source of information about Europe and particularly about European business. It covers all of Europe, making sure that Russia and Central Europe get their space. "Europe A La Carte" provides three sections: news and features; sports; and business and economics, the latter covers 20 pages and is the focus here.
Examples of departments and articles include:

Chapter 43: International and Regional Journals

The maxim of The Economist is to take part in "a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress." (Another maxim, not quite as vaunted is: "If you laid every economist end to end," as the old saw goes, "they still wouldn't reach a conclusion.") The Economist is a business news publication edited for senior management and policy makers in finance, industry, and government in the United States and throughout the world. It is a weekly magazine of approximately 120 pages, small print, and mostly a black-and-white format with few eye-catching pictures. It is an excellent analytical source that should be familiar to all business researchers.

Chapter 44: World Economic Outlook

The World Economic Outlook is a meaty little book of 200 or so pages with colorful presentations and published twice a year in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic. It presents IMF staff economists' analyses of global economic developments during the near and medium term. Chapters give an overview of the world economy; consider issues affecting industrial countries, developing countries, and economies in transition; and address topics of current interest. For example, in the October 1997 edition, Chapter 3 covered "The EMU and the World Economy." The projections and analyses contained in the World Economic Outlook are an integral element of the IMF's ongoing surveillance of economic developments and policies in its member countries and of the global economic system. The IMF has published the World Economic Outlook annually from 1980 through 1983 and biannually since 1984. The Publications Catalog is available as a database and can be searched by title, author, subject, series, language, or keyword.

Chapter 45: U.S. Industry and Trade Outlook

Last published five years ago under the title U.S. Industrial Outlook, this completely revised and updated guide has been renamed U.S. Industry and Trade Outlook to reflect its broader scope and in-depth coverage. It is written by a unique partnership among the U.S. Department of Commerce/International Trade Administration, DRI/McGraw-Hill, and Standard & Poor's. It is an outstanding research reference that all business faculty and students should investigate. The Outlook covers over 350 manufacturing and service business sectors in 50 chapters-giving readers in-depth overviews of each industry, key factors affecting domestic growth and global trends, and forecasts for the next one to five years. The book is eminently readable with clear charts and tables that provide a quick look at major economic trends, trade patterns, productivity, and other important data. The author of each section is included at the end of the piece along with his or her telephone number and the date the section was written. This person is your contact in Washington and should not be overlooked as a major resource for assisting in research.

Some of its most salient features include:

Chapter 46: Eurostat Yearbook

This is a good solid publication, published by Eurostat (Statistical Office of the European Communities), whose focus is entirely statistical. The advantage of this reference is the 10-year trends it provides. It has been an annual publication since 1995. As far as possible the data are in a time series covering 10-year periods; for example, 1984-1994. This enables the reader to compare the present situation of member states (European Union) and other countries. This book is high in quality statistics and low in colorful, interpreted presentations.

The aim of Eurostat Yearbook is to offer statistics from the point of view of the user rather than the producer-certainly a nice touch. The layout of pages, tables, and graphs is in a standard format that makes it easier for the user to become quickly familiar with the way data are presented. Be careful, however; not all statistics used for this publication lend themselves to such treatment. For example, some statistics are produced with a higher priority given to reflecting the present situation rather than to comparing them with data published 10 years ago. Germany is included in three different ways. Many tables and graphs include Germany as constituted before the reunification of October 3, 1990. Every table contains suggested further reading. The publications recommended are available through national sales and subscription agencies (use Eurostat Information Office, fax: + 352 4301 32594).

Chapter 47: Europe in Figures

This excellent book, the goal of which is to educate people about Europe, lends itself to a comfortable interaction between reader and material. It is well documented with statistics; interpreted data; colorful presentations of charts, graphs, photos, vignettes, and maps; glossary; and further reading. Its quality by far exceeds its price.
Progress in European integration and initiatives taken at the Maastricht Summit has called for a greater understanding of the Community's history and background. In keeping with this need for greater understanding and the availability of more objective information on its economic and social conditions, Eurostat (Statistical Office of the European Communities) created this publication. One of Eurostat's tasks was to provide Europeans and other interested persons with information on developments in European Community policies based on uniform definitions and data-collection methods to enable them to make informed choices and decisions. Eurostat's harmonized EU statistics fulfill that objective.

The book is color coded to refer to Eurostat's various statistical themes:

Chapter 48: Yearbook of the United Nations

Another big book that covers the activities of the United Nations on an annual basis is Yearbook of the United Nations, which continues the tradition of providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the activities of the UN. It is an indispensable reference tool for the research community, diplomats, government officials, and the general public seeking readily available information on the UN system and its related organizations.
The Yearbook is subject-oriented and divided into seven parts covering political and security questions, regional questions and peacekeeping, human rights, economic and social questions, legal questions, administrative and budgetary questions, and intergovernmental organizations related to the UN. Chapters and topical headings present summaries of pertinent UN activities, including those of intergovernmental and expert bodies, major reports, Secretariat activities, and in select cases, the views of states in written communications. References are listed either at the end of short chapters or after subchapters, linked to the text by numerical indicators. Subject headings in the report include:

Chapter 49: International Chamber of Commerce Publications

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is the world business organization that works to promote greater freedom of world trade, to harmonize and facilitate business and trade practices, and to represent the business community at international and intergovernmental levels. Whether settling contractual disputes, protecting business from commercial fraud and counterfeiting, or fostering joint ventures in shipping, the ICC provides concrete and practical help to the world trading community in the solution of everyday problems. Regularly scheduled ICC conferences and symposia and training are important features of these services. ICC seminars in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America deal with, for example, the practical and technical aspects of commercial arbitration, international contracts, and banking. ICC-sponsored training programs for developing-country professionals are regularly organized, often with third parties.

Chapter 50: World Development Report

The World Development Report 1996 is the 19th in a continuing annual series of reports from the World Bank that examines the interplay of major issues in the world, such as the environment, developmental strategies, and poverty. Each report furnishes an overview of the goals and means of development. World Development Report 1993, for example, examined the issues of human health, health policy, and economic development, while the World Development Report 1994 covered infrastructure. A similar publication by the UN is published under the name Human Development Report (annual) and can be reviewed at www.undp.org.

               

CALVIN AND HOBBES  1998 Watterson Dist. by UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.