Introducing Online Business Resources - sound

Overview of Online Business Resources : 

Overview of Online Business Resources PG Cert and MBA in International Business Practice 1

E-Books : 

E-Books Use to: Gain an overview of a subject Grasp key concepts e.g. e-commerce. Benefits: Search across 100s of titles at the same time. Jump between different chapters and sections. View titles online or download them to your pc. Copy or print selected extracts, usually up to 5%. 2

Example E-book : 

Example E-book Use hyperlinked chapter / section headings to move around the book. Use search tool to look for particular topics within book. Copy or print selected extracts – up to 5% of the text Source: Dawsonera 3 Use ‘Back’ and ‘Next’ buttons to change page.

Business Source Premier : 

Business Source Premier What is it? Online database containing full-text Business information. Use for: Company profiles Market research reports Country information Trade publications Scholarly journal articles Advantages: Covers thousands of sources including more than 2,300 journals Items can be downloaded, saved and printed Can be searched like Google or in a more structured way 4

Datamonitor : 

Datamonitor What is it? Online collection of company profiles and market research reports Sub-collection within Business Source Premier Use to: Find out about specific companies: History, product lines and brands, top competitors SWOT analyses Research specific industries (e.g. US Confectionery): Market segmentation by product types and world regions Market share and profiles of leading companies Advantages Thousands of companies and industries are profiled. Information independently compiled so is reliable and objective. 5

Datamonitor Report Structure : 

Datamonitor Report Structure Reports follow a standard format and contain a wealth of useful information. 6

Example Page from Report : 

Example Page from Report The right-hand chart shows which companies dominated the US confectionery market in 2008. 7

Company Annual Reports : 

Company Annual Reports Use to find key financial information about specific companies e.g. Financial review Financial statements (balance sheets etc.) Review of performance in previous year Strategic priorities for coming year Also for ‘soft’ information such as: Company vision Approach to ethical issues – sustainability etc. Director’s review (including remuneration details) 8

Walmart Annual Report Download Page : 

Walmart Annual Report Download Page Annual Reports are huge documents and usually in PDF format. Use the Table of Contents (where available) or the ‘Find’ function to locate the relevant sections. 9

Country Profiles : 

Country Profiles Various sources such as specific free websites (basic information) and EBSCO reports (advanced information). Profiles focus on some (or all) of the following: History and Geography Local customs Political system Statistics e.g. population data Trading opportunities: Import/export figures Legal and political issues Incentives or constraints etc. Economic data Travel advice 10

CIA World Factbook : 

CIA World Factbook Taiwan Profile: CIA World Factbook This provides detailed analysis of major world countries. Good starting-point for PEST analysis. Drop down menu to see list of the countries covered. Click on cross to expand category and reveal that section of report.

Another Source: UK Trade & Investment Website : 

Another Source: UK Trade & Investment Website Source: UK Trade and Investment website. 12 Wide range of countries covered. Profiles outline trading opportunities for import/export and investment. Download guide for further details. Clear analysis of key trading considerations: Export Doing business Language / Cultural Issues How to invest

Sample Travel Advice Report : 

Sample Travel Advice Report Source: Foreign Office website. 13

Example Trade Report : 

Example Trade Report 14 Reports like this can help you decide whether to trade with a specific country. Source: Doing Business Website.

Advanced Country Analysis : 

Advanced Country Analysis Need more detailed information? Try Business Source Premier. Many types of information covered, e.g.: Economic: exchange rate, import/export etc. Political: Systems of government, risk analysis of key parties… Cultural: Local customs, dress, etiquette… Disease/Health: Disease profiles, preventive advice… Environmental: Deforestation, greenhouse emissions… 15

Example Country Profile: Singapore : 

Example Country Profile: Singapore 16 Click here to download the full profile.

Scholarly Journals : 

Scholarly Journals What are journals? Academic magazines published at regular intervals e.g. weekly, monthly, quarterly. Use to: Find out what research has been conducted in an area e.g. examples of client satisfaction surveys. Benefits: Peer-reviewed so information should be high-quality Key source: Business Source Premier 17

Example Scholarly Journal Article : 

Example Scholarly Journal Article PDF files can be saved or printed. Please use the icons within the file rather than dropping down the ‘File’ menu and choosing ‘Print’ or ‘Save’. 18

Newspaper Articles : 

Newspaper Articles Use for any newsworthy issues such as: Coverage of high-profile companies or personnel like Chief Executives or entrepreneurs e.g. Sir Richard Branson Ethical concerns Sustainability issues Mergers/Demergers, acquisitions etc Benefits: Content aimed at a general audience so is easy to understand Articles are short so can be read and assimilated quickly 19

Example Newspaper Article : 

Example Newspaper Article Your search terms are highlighted in red wherever they occur in article records. Source: LexisNexis. 20 Details of newspaper and story publication date. Word count for article. Search terms highlighted in red.

Accessing Online Resources : 

Accessing Online Resources 21 This is the standard login screen for all e-resources… Please type in your St Mary’s IT username and password.

Further Help : 

Further Help Thanks for listening!