The major strength of this work by Gil (Univ. of Denver) and Reyes (West Chester Univ.) is its methodical approach to strategies for finding international business information. While it highlights specific sources, its contextualization of how and why particular kinds of information are likely to be useful is important--especially for researchers relatively new to investigating international business. Chapter 1 frames the later chapters by providing an overview of the types of tools and sources that may be broadly applicable for international business research. Subsequent chapters more thoroughly investigate various angles that researchers may wish to take. Chapter 2 discusses financial markets and the international monetary system. Chapter 3 describes major organizations that provide global information; these include US government sources, international organizations, and commercial publishers. Chapter 4 delves into regional economic organizations and trading blocs, and chapter 5 discusses various strategies for international company research. Chapter 6 reviews various industry classification schemes, while Chapter 7 identifies strategies for industry research on a global scale. Chapter 8 focuses on market research. Chapter 9 takes a more personal note, identifying ways that investors can diversify their portfolios and providing sources of information about such instruments. Relevant sources are listed alphabetically (categorized as either fee-based or free) at the end of each chapter, with URLs or other contact information for each. Overall, this book provides a solid foundation for coherently approaching a vast, multifaceted, and dynamic area of research. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers

Choice Reviews

Although we live in a global economy, conducting international business research is still a daunting task due to its complexity and the growing number of information resources from which to choose. The authors, Ester L. Gil and Awilda Reyes, both academic librarians, provide an excellent overview of the international business research process in International Business Research: Strategies and Resources. Rather than focusing on individual resources, the book provides strategies to guide users through the research process for different aspects of international business. The nine chapters cover: basic tools and sources, international monetary system and financial markets, resources with world coverage, regional economic organizations and trade blocs, international company research, industry classification systems, international industry research, international market research and global investing. Chapters begin with general strategies on how to locate various types of information for that sector with suggested resources briefly described. As the book is aimed at all types of users, resources range from freely available U.S., foreign, and international resources to subscription-based resources only available at academic or large research libraries.

American Reference Books Annual

[T]his book provides an overview of strategies, resources, and the authors’ own experience on the topic of international business. It is geared towards academia, but many of the resources are available to anyone. This book is packed with resources and tips, along with the authors’ extensive knowledge and expertise on this topic. I highly recommend this volume for anyone involved in collection development in the business and economics subject areas.

Collection Building