This past week I was helping a couple of students with finding U.S. trade statistics and came across a couple of very useful government sites that provide free data.

• USITC DataWeb: United States International Trade Commission's Interactive Tariff and Trade Database
  information http://dataweb.usitc.gov/
  login screen http://dataweb.usitc.gov/scripts/user_set.asp
  This database is not terribly easy to use, but provides excellent import stats, export stats, and tariff information from 1989 to the present. Data is available monthly, quarterly, and annually. In order to use, you need to set up a free account. Doing so allows you to save your searches for future use and allows the USITC to gather stats on usage.


• Trade Stats Express
  http://tse.export.gov
  This database is maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Administration. National trade data and state export data is available. The data within the national trade data area includes mapped global pattern data and product profiles of U.S. merchanise within a selected market. The state export data includes both state by state exports to a selected market and export product profiles to a selected market.

Posted by Louise Feldmann at 01:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you are in need of market share information and don't know where to start, you might want to look at Market Share Reporter. This is a two volume reference book that is "an annual compilation of reported market share data on companies, products, and services." The entries are arranged by SIC categories, but the easiest way to find information is by using the indexes which include a company name index, brands index, and a products, services, names, and issues index. All entries also include source information. Market Share Reporter is located in the reference section of the library, behind the information desk. It's call number is HF5410 .M25 2007 Ref.

Posted by Louise Feldmann at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The library has acquired a new online database that provides electronic access to many popular business reference titles that we previously only had in print. The database includes several titles of interest to business students and faculty such as:

• Business Plans Handbook (volumes 1-12)


• Encyclopedia of Small Business


• Encyclopedia of Major Marketing Campaigns


• Manufacturing and Distribution U.S.A.

Posted by Louise Feldmann at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've been receiving quite a few questions regarding the energy industry lately. Here are a couple of good websites to start in your search.

• Energy Information Administration
  http://www.eia.doe.gov/
  Official energy stats from the U.S. government and provides alot of very in-depth information. Coverage includes stats on petroleum, natural gas, electricity, coal, nuclear, and renewable and alternative energy. The site also includes international data, a monthly energy review, historical data overview, as well as forecasts and analyses.


• International Energy Agency
  http://www.iea.org/
  Stats by country, region, and product. Reports available include a yearly overview entitled Key World Energy Statisitics

Posted by Louise Feldmann at 09:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)