Big 3 Testimony Before U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, November 18, 2008
Categories: Research guides for current news topics
September 17th, 2008 · No Comments
Categories: Research guides for current news topics
September 16th, 2008 · No Comments
Finding Competitors
- ReferenceUSA (Library Database). This links to the alphabetical listing of Library databases. Scroll through the list to ReferenceUSA.
- Click on “Business Databases.”"Custom Search” lets you enter criteria for SIC, NAICS, geography, size, employees, etc..
- GoogleMaps. Searching with “in” or “near” together with your location and type of establishment. For example, try:
- “chinese restaurant” near salem ma
- “dry cleaners” “949 Palomar Drive Loveland Ohio”
Learning about potential customers and geographical locations
- The U.S. Census Bureau provides data from the 2000 Census and projects future growth. The main link is: www.census.gov.
- American Factfinder, a link at the left of the main census site, provides convenient ways to mine census data. The specific url is: www.factfinder.census.gov
- Interesting searches to try:
- entering a zip code or name of town in the center search box “Get a Fact Sheet for Your Community.”
- clicking on the “Search” box and select “Geography” to search for specific data sets on states and places. Select “Show more selection methods and more” to refine your search.
- The American Factfinder FAQs section (in a tab at the top of the page) provides very helpful tips on retrieving data on all sorts of specific geographical areas.
- “Data for my neighborhood/community” is a good bet.
- “Data for all places” is also helpful.
- Mass.Gov provides demographic data under links for “Local Government.” Click on “State Data Center” or choose a town from the drop-down list.
- Community Sourcebook of Zip Code Demographics. REF HA 206 .S66. Located in the Reference area of the Library.
- Community Sourcebook of County Demographics. REF HA 203 .HS65. Located in the Reference area of the Library.
Gathering industry and economic data about geographical locations and industries
Obtaining psychographic data about potential customers and geographical locations
- Claritas.com. Free resource: “You Are Where You Live.”
- New Strategist Reference Book Series.
- The Library owns thirty-four titles. Search in the NOBLE Catalog for “New Strategist” and limit your search to Salem State. These will be shelved in the Reference area of the Library.
- Sample titles: The American Marketplace: Demographics and Spending Patterns. REF HA 214 .A512 2007; Best Customers: Demographics of Consumer Demand. REF HC 79 .C6 R87 2006.
- Many articles from business periodicals also profile consumers of specific products. For instance, within the Library database Business Source Premier, enter terms like “consumer or customer,” “behavior or attitudes or preference or choice” and “purchase or spend or buy” with various products.
Researching consumer expenditures and personal habits
- New Strategist Reference Book Series. Some titles deal with buying habits. For example: Who’s Buying at Restaurants and Carry-outs. REF TX 945 .W56 2006.
- Global Market Information Database. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical listing of databases. Scroll down to find Global Market Information Database.
- Click on “Consumers,” then “Consumer Lifestyles” reports for various countries.
- Table Base. (Library Database). Available through the Boston Public Library Electonic databases site. Particularly good for market and consumer data and reports. To access, click here to sign-up for a BPL Library E-Card. It will be issued in about 15 minutes.
- U.S. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Expenditure Survey. Provides information on the buying habits of Americans, including data on expenditures, incomes, and consumer unit (family or individual) characteristics. Most recent data is from 2006.
- U.S. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Labor Statistics. American Time Use Survey. Measures the amount of time people spend working, volunteering, etc.
Identifying SIC or NAICS codes for an industry
Looking at the big picture with industry overviews and market data
Note: The following links lead to the relevant alphabetical database list of the SSC Library home page. Scroll down to link to the desired database.
How does my venture stack up: looking at industry ratios
- Look at industry ratios to assess the financial strength of your company.
- Ratio sources at SSC include D&B’s Key Business Ratios, Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage.
- Leo Troy’s Almanac of Business and Industrial Ratios (REF 5681 .R25. T68) and RMA Annual Statement Studies (REF HF 5681 .B2 .R58) are ratio books in the Reference area of the Library.
Looking for more? Try trade associations
- Trade associations often provide industry data on their web site and in publications.
Identifying experts in an industry
How will I do it? Putting together operational logistics
- Check articles from trade magazines, industry web sites, association web sites, and special industry publications for information on how the business will actually work. For instance, what is the average time customers spend in a fast food restaurant? How much is the average fast food check per customer?
- The Library is trying to obtain some of these specialized guides this Fall. If they don’t arrive in time to be of use, consult:
Location, location, location: finding real estate information
- Public records on deeds, foreclosures, etc..
- Massachusetts commercial real estate.
- Town profiles
- City-Data.com. Detailed profile of 63,000 U.S. cities and towns. Searchable by town name, county name, and zip code.
Categories: Research guides for academic courses
September 15th, 2008 · No Comments
Breaking News*
Please note: The Library has many of the above sources in electronic form. If any article you want is only available to subscribers, please check the Library home page (http://www.salemstate.edu/library) to see if the Library has the title. If we do, you can read whole articles in their entireity - for free. Or, call Nancy Dennis, Business Reference & Instruction librarian, for assistance. Thank you!
Government Information
Press Coverage
Commentaries
- Nouriel Roubini’s Global EconoMonitor.
- Nouriel Roubini. “Recession Will Last At Least Two Years.” CNBC Interview and Video, October 22, 2008.
- Warren Buffet. “An Exclusive Conversation with Warren Buffet.” [Charlie Rose Inteview, October 1, 2008].
- Jaimie Dimon. “A Conversation with Jaime Dimon.” [Charlie Rose Interview, July 7, 2008.]
- Henry Paulson. “A Conversation with Hank Paulson.” [Charlie Rose Interview, October 21, 2008.]
- Elizabeth Warren. “A Secret History of the Credit Card.” [Frontline, September 20, 2004.]
- Elizabeth Warren. “The Two Income Trap.” [Bill Moyers Interview, February 2004.]
Categories: Research guides for current news topics
September 10th, 2008 · No Comments
How to find books on a topic
- Go the Library home page at: http://www.salemstate.edu/library.
- Select “SSC Library Catalogs.”Search by key word(s).
- Click on subject headings for additional books on the topic.
- The Call Number tells where the book is located in the Library.
- If the Call Number says “STORAGE,” ask at the Circulation Desk for assistance in retrieving the book from the Old Library.
How to find magazine and periodical articles
- Go the Library home page at: http://www.salemstate.edu/library.
- Select “Databases.”
- If you are new to searching, select EBSCO in the “Database Quick Links” section. This covers many subjects, including the excellent Business Source Premier.
- Within EBSCO, you have a choice of many databases. Scroll down the list until you find one that seems likely to cover your subject. Hint: Business Source Premier would be great for most business topics.
- Click on the name of the database you want to search.
- Enter your topic in either the Basic or Advanced Search boxes.
- Once a list of articles appears, scroll through it to find ones that look promising.
- Click on the titles.
- For many articles, the full-text is provided. If it isn’t here, ask a Librarian how to search further.
- Once you have several articles that you like, either save them to a Folder for printing, saving to disk, or emailing OR save/print/email them one at a time.
How to tackle a research problem
- Clarify your research question.
- What are you trying to find?
- What is the purpose of your research?
- Outline your information seeking strategies.
- Where will you begin?
- What type of information resource will best suit your research needs?
- Locate your research materials from the web or Library resources.
Where does the SSC Library fit within your research universe?
Salem State College Library greatly expands our students’ access to information and efficient use of information by:
- Providing access to thousands of scholarly books and journals on a wide range of subjects.
- Providing unlimited access to sophisticated, fee-based databases for journal articles and specialized types of information.
- Facilitating access to online resources to students researching from off-campus.
- Enabling students to borrow materials from hundreds of thousands of academic and public libraries through the Interlibrary Loan service and reciprocal borrowing agreements.
- Providing trained Library professionals and subject specialists to assist you with navigating both the web and Library resources.
- Teaching students information literacy skills in special course-related instruction sessions.
- Providing a special place for research, writing, and reflection in our new Library at Central Campus and satellite study areas in the Ellison Campus Center at North Campus and the Student Lounge of the Academic Building on South Campus.
Where is the SSC Library?
- The Physical Library, with books, seats, computers, and staff, is located off the Mezzanine above the cafeteria at Central Campus. The building has two floors.
- The Virtual Library, which consists of all of our electronic databases and e-books, exists anywhere that is accessible with a computer.
How do students find out what materials and services the SSC Library offers?
- The Library web page (http://www.salemstate.edu/library) is the basic navigating point for Library resources.
- The page has four components: “Research, ” “Services,” “Help,” and “Library.” Where does one begin?
- To find books, click on the “SSC Library Catalogs” link. Next, select “NOBLE Library Catalog.” This lets you search for books among the holdings of Salem State and some 40 public and academic libraries that belong to the North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE).
- Search by author, title, or key word. Limit your search to holdings of Salem State College or any other desired library.
- Try the “Request” and “Save to My List” buttons to see what else you can do with the Catalog!
- To find articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals, click on the “Databases” link.
- This brings up five options: “Off-Campus Databases/Periodicals;” “Periodicals and E-books Directory;” “Database Quick Links;” “Databases by Name;” and “Databases by Subject.”
- “Off-Campus Databases/Periodicals” describes how to get into databases from off-campus. Basically, you simply select a database, and you will be prompted for your SSC email user name and email password.
- “Periodicals and E-books Directory” is essentially a telephone directory of all periodicals and e-books contained in all of the databases. Begin here when you know the title of a periodical or e-book and want to see a) if the Library owns it; and b) which system(s) contain it. Direct links to the journal within various systems are provided.
- “Database Quick Links” provides short-cuts to oft-used databases.
- “Databases by Name” is an alphabetical listing of all databases. Note: this is different from the “Periodicals Directory,” which lists specific periodicals and e-books contained within databases.
- “Databases by Subject” is a list of databases by broad topic areas. It also includes free databases from the Internet.
How do SSC Library resources differ from those in Google?
- Library resources come from traditional publishing channels. While this may include news and popular sources, it also includes very high level scholarly sources.
- While many scholarly sources are beginning to appear on the web, for instance, through Open Source collections, most are still accessible through subscription databases the Library provides. This means that students should supplement web searches with library resources.
- The Library provides access to very costly databases and periodical titles typically found in business or scientific environments.
- For instance, while users may find resources like Hoovers and ValueLine on the web, they would be required to pay substantial amounts of money to use them.
- Since databases found in library resources are built with different coding from Google, they require different search approaches.
- For instance, most databases require the use of connecting terms like “and” between concepts.
- Google is easier to search than most Library databases, and offers a superior search interface.
- Google enhances Library resources and expands research quests.
- Google Scholar, for instance, can be used to identify scholarly articles from JSTOR. Since our Library subscribes to JSTOR, students can automatically link to articles while on campus.
- Librarians use Google to get correct terminology about topics and ideas on where to go for information.
- Not all information students need is answered by finding a book or periodical article. There is incredibly valuable information on government, business, scientific, and education web sites.
What are best ways to search Google?
- Google’s Advanced Search features and shortcuts enable users to make searches more efficient.
What about other search engines?
How does one evaluate web pages?
- Key points to consider when deciding the reliability of a web page are:
- Can you replicate claims of the web site on other sites?
- If you don’t know a lot about the subject you’re investigating and have questions about the accuracy of a site, can you find a professor who might be able to help you?
- Is the language neutral, and not slanted? Can you determine who authored or sponsored the web page?
- Can you determine if the site was sponsored by an educational agency or organization? (urls would end in .edu or .org)
- Is the web site up-to-date?
- Is the web site well-maintained - do all links work?
- What other sites link to this site? (Use the Google “link” command to determine this).
- Is the information documented and footnoted?
- For more information, go to the UC Berkeley’s “Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply and The Questions to Ask.” http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
What is plagiarism?
- Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words or ideas as your own, without giving credit with a footnote, endnote, etc.
- Avoid plagiarism by using footnotes, in-text citations, and endnotes to sources that provided you with the information.
- Even if you paraphrase (put something in your own words), you must give credit to ideas of others.
- If something is generally known, for example, 9/11 was a terrorist attack on the U.S. - you don’t need to footnote it. However, if you mention that some feel that the attacks were actually carried out by the U.S. and Israel, you would definitely need a footnote reference.
- Plagiarism.org provides more details. http://www.plagiarism.org/
What are Style Guides and why should I care?
- Style Guides are books and web sites that show you how to cite ideas and also how to put together a bibliography or list of works cited.
- There are many guides, but the most common are: APA (American Psychological Association); MLA (Modern Language Association); and Chicago Manual of Style.
- These guides are published in book form. The OWL site at Purdue University also prints excerpts from them. Many Composition textbooks also print excerpts.
- The EBSCO system can format citations for you at the “Print” level. This system includes Business Source Premier!!
Some web sites that automatically* creates a “Works Cited” list are:
* Note: some “clean up” of records is often necessary with these utilities.
Categories: Research guides for academic courses
September 2008 onward
Previous Events
Categories: Research guides for current news topics
Searching information
Clicking on a database link below will lead to the Databases by Name section of the Salem State College web site. Scroll through the list to find the desired title, and click on it. Sometimes, you will enter the parent of the database, such as EBSCO, Proquest, FirstSearch, etc.. This may require a second scroll through a list of databases to find the desired title. (The database links on this blog were set up this way to ensure permanent connections. Links to databases are dynamic and vary with each search).
Members of the Salem State College community may freely search on all campuses and in residence halls. Simply go to the Salem State College Library web site, click on Databases, then select the desired title in the Databases by Name alphabetical list.
No special passwords are required for on-campus searching. Entering from off-campus, however, requires inputting one’s Salem State College email username and email password. Users will be prompted for this information after they click on a desired database title.
Sorry, but access is limited to Salem State College students and faculty with valid identification.
Types of Information Available
- Books provide lengthy explanations of all management topics. Some authors support material with findings of research projects in the real world, while others synthesize arguments of others. Search the NOBLE/SSC Library Catalog from the Library Home Page to find books available in the SSC Library. The WorldCat database (listed under “Databases”) provides a complete list of books published worldwide. Use this if you want more titles than those available at Salem State College Library. Submit an Interlibrary Loan request to borrow the book from an area library. Another way to “build a bibliography” is to search catalogs of highly regarded business libraries such as Baker Library at Harvard or the Lippincott Library at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Articles from Magazines and Newspapers provide informal articles on management topics. Many of these involve actual companies or managers. Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, and New York Times are among the titles that publish these types of articles. The Business Source Premier database (within EBSCO) will lead you to articles from Business Week, and many more specific industry journals.
- Articles on Local Companies. The Boston Business Journal and Boston Globe run articles on news worthy management topics involving local companies. National sources such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. will cover local companies if there is sufficient national interest. For instance, in the past six months, both Talbots and State Street Corporation were profiled in national publications. The Boston Globe is available through a library database. The Boston Business Journal has a web site. In addition, the Library receives print issues. These are shelved in the Current Periodical section of the Library.
- Articles from Scholarly Journals are lengthy presentations of research projects or well-argued theses on particular topics. To find articles of this type, search ABI/INFORM Global, Emerald, and Wiley InterScience.
Categories: Research guides for academic courses
Web Sources
- U.S. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Expenditure Survey. Provides information on the buying habits of Americans, including data on expenditures, incomes, and consumer unit (family or individual) characteristics. Most recent data is from 2006.
- U.S. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Labor Statistics. American Time Use Survey. Measures the amount of time people spend working, volunteering, etc.
- Claritas. You Are Where You Live. (YAWYL). Free resource that defines consumer markets by zip code.
Library Reference Books
- New Strategist publications. The Library owns over thirty New Strategist titles on purchasing habits of various demographic groups. Check the NOBLE Catalog under “New Strategist” to find listings.
Library Databases
Clicking on a database link below will lead to the Databases by Name section of the Salem State College web site. Scroll through the list to find the desired title, and click on it. Sometimes, you will enter the parent of the database, such as EBSCO, Proquest, FirstSearch, etc.. This may require a second scroll through a list of databases to find the desired title. (The database links on this blog were set up this way to ensure permanent connections. Links to databases are dynamic and vary with each search).
Members of the Salem State College community may freely search on all campuses and in residence halls. Simply go to the Salem State College Library web site, click on Databases, then select the desired title in the Databases by Name alphabetical list.
No special passwords are required for on-campus searching. Entering from off-campus, however, requires inputting one’s Salem State College email username and email password. Users will be prompted for this information after they click on a desired database title.
Sorry, but access is limited to Salem State College students and faculty with valid identification.
Categories: Research guides for academic courses
Country background sources
Web Sites
- Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook. Covers geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for most countries of the world. Includes the European Union.
- Economist.com Country Briefings. Gives news, profiles, forecasts, and statistics for some 80 countries.
- PBS Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy. Explains forces, values, events, and ideas that have shaped the present world economic system.
- Portals to the World. Library of Congress. Provides business, commerce, and economy links for most nations of the world.
Library Databases
- Business Source Premier - EBSCO. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “B” listing of Library databases. Select “Business Source Premier” from this list. After entering a country’s name, select “Country Reports” in the left frame.
- Global Market Information Database (GMID). (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “G” listing of Library databases. Select “Global Market Information Database” from this list. Upon entering the system, click on “Countries.” Pull-down menus under “Country Briefings,” “Country Profiles,” and “Future Demographics” let you search for specific country overviews of these areas. In addition, comparisons of countries are found under specialized topics such as “Economic Indicators,” “Finance,” Lifestyles,” etc..
- Mergent Online. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “M” listing of Library databases. Select “Mergent” from this list. After entering the database, select a Country Profile on the right side of the page.
- U.S. Department of Commerce. STAT-USA. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “S” listing of Library databases. Select “STAT-USA” from this list. Then, click on ”Globus and NTDB” and select “Country Background Notes” under “Market and Country Research.”
Doing Business In . . .
Web Sites
- Country Insights/Global Edge. Created by the International Business Center (IBC) at Michigan State University, this site provides pertinent statistical data and historical, political, and social information for 200 countries. Intended for use by both academia and business.
- Export.Gov. Streamlines access to U.S. government market reports, trade regulations, and industry reports. Users can search by industry, market research, trade leads, and trade events. They can look for solutions to international trade, finance, marketing, logistics, regulations, licenses, etc..
- U.S. Commercial Service. BuyUSA.Gov. Intended for importers and exporters. Of particular interest to SSC students are the following full-text reports: Doing Business In, Country Commercial Guides, and Trade Events. The site also identifies market reports which might be obtained via interlibrary loan.
- Doing Business. The World Bank. Provides objective measures of laws and regulations across 178 world economies and selected cities.
- Doing Business Abroad. U.S. Department of State. Provides practical advice on doing business overseas.
Library Databases
- U.S. Department of Commerce. STAT-USA. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “S” listing of Library databases. Select “STAT-USA” from this list. Then, click on ”Globus and NTDB” for current and historical trade releases, international market research, trade opportunities, and country analyses.Market analyses, industry analyses, and statistics. Particularly helpful are the “Doing Business In” titles found under “Market and Country Research” - “Country Commercial Guides.
- ABI/INFORM GLOBAL. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “A” listing of Library databases. Select “ABI/INFORM GLOBAL” from this list. Search for ”doing business” and “name of your country;” “business ethics and “name of your country.” This may lead to analytical articles on your company.
- Wiley InterScience Journals. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “W” listing of Library databases. Select “Wiley Interscience” from this list. Search for ”doing business” and “name of your country;” “business ethics and “name of your country.” Searching for articles in the Thunderbird International Business Review, will lead to many insightful articles on the business climate in specific countries.
Market and Industry Research and Statistics
Web Sites
Library Databases
- Global Market Information Database (GMID). (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “G” listing of Library database. Select “Global Market Information Database” from this list. Provides data and reports on countries, industries, consumers, and economies. Select a category, or insert terms in the “Text” search.
- ISI Emerging Markets. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “I” listing of Library databases. Select “ISI” from this list. Select a country, then browse by categories for news, company, industry, macroeconomics, financial markets, legal, and research. Searchable in English and languages native to the selected country.
- Table Base (Boston Public Library Database). Available remotely to SSC students from the Boston Public Library, this international database provides access to data compiled from trade and business publications, investment research, trade associations, statistical annuals, primary research, and international organizations. To gain access, sign-up for a BPL e-Card at: http://www.bpl.org/general/circulation/ecards.htm. Cards are issued in about 15 minutes. Once issued, log on to http://www.bpl.org. Select “Electronic Resources,” then “T,” then, “Table Base.”
- U.S. Department of Commerce. STAT-USA. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “S” listing of Library databases. Select on STAT-USA from this list and click on “Globus and NTDB” for current and historical trade releases, international market research, trade opportunities, and country analyses. Market analyses, industry analyses, and statistics.
International Business News
Web Sites
Library Databases
- The Wall Street Journal. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “W” listing of library databases. Select “Wall Street Journal from this list.
- New York Times. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “N” listing of Library databases. Select “New York Times” from this list.
- LexisNexis. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “L” listing of Library databases. Select “LexisNexis” from this list.
- ISI Emerging Markets. (Library Database). This link connects to the alphabetical “I” listing of Library databases. Select “ISI Emerging Markets” from this list. Enter a country name, and click on the “News” link.
Cultural information
Web Sites
- Center for Intercultural Learning. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. Provides country facts and very detailed cultural information for persons doing business abroad. Covers, for example, preferred managerial styles, display of emotion, dress, etc.
Traveling abroad
Web Sites
Categories: Research guides for academic courses
Freddie Mac and Fannie May
The Federal Reserve Bank’s Statements on the economy
President Bush’s statements on the economy
General Motors Restructuring
Ford Realignment
Oil
- Energy Fix. June, 2008 onward. Special Report, CNNMoney.com.
Categories: Research guides for current news topics
