Guide to Research: International Companies

This guide serves as a general starting place for research on international businesses.  Many international businesses may not be required to file or publish financial reports within a specific country. Some countries are better than others at collecting information. The most recent information available could vary by business or country. For additional information, please contact the Librarian for Business.

Research Guides:
 
Pagell, Ruth A. and Michael Halperin. International Business Information: How to Find It, How to Use It  2nd ed. Chicago : Glenlake Publishing Co., Ltd. ; New York : AMACOM, 1999. (Check the JHU Catalog for multiple copies and locations--call no. HF54.5.P33 1998 QUARTO)
 
Lanza, Sheri R.  International Business Information on the Web: Searcher magazine's guide to sites and strategies for global business research. Medford, N.J. : CyberAge Books, 2001.
General Reference HF 54.56 .L364 2001

Also view the library guide to International Marketing

Print Company Directories:
 
D & B Principal International Businesses (Dun & Bradstreet)
General Reference HF54.U5 P74
 
Hoover's Handbook of World Business
General Reference HG 4009.H66
 
Volume 6 of the Directory of Corporate Affiliations is
sub-titled: "International Public and Private Companies"
General Reference HG4057.A217

International Directory of Company Histories
General Reference HD 2712 .I57

Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries
General Reference HG 4538 .A1 D5

Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States
General Reference HG 4057 .A21943

Standard and Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives
General Reference HG 4057 .A1 S8

Databases: Company Directories, Profiles (JHU accounts only) 

Hoovers Academic  (All US JHU)

Company overview, financials, industry overview/rankings, competitors, biographies

Worldscope global  (All JHU (incl. International))

(Through the FirstSearch collection): Basic facts and brief financial figures for international companies.

Mergent online  (All US JHU)

Also contains country profiles with data on economic situation, government, history, population, stock exchange, and public company filings.

Marketline Business Information Center  (All US JHU)

Directory of Corporate Affiliations  (All US JHU)

Tracks who owns whom.

LexisNexis Academic  (All US JHU)

Search on companies or news from the main page or choose the Business module

Bloomberg: (Designated terminal) Company profiles, financials, securities, news, industry and country information. Appointments advised for new users.

Standard and Poors NetAdvantage  (All US JHU)

EIU E-Business Forum  (All US JHU)

Assesses e-business readiness by country, includes hot topics, and "case studies" of companies regarding initiatives or best practices.

Encyclopedia of Associations: International Organizations   (Sheridan & SAIS)

 News and Journal Article Databases:


News and Journal Article databases offer more recent information on new products, mergers and acquisitions, and other developments for specific companies:

LexisNexis Academic  (All US JHU)

ABI/INFORM Global  (All JHU (incl. International))

Business source premier   (All US JHU)

Wilson business full-text (also part of OmniFile Full Text Mega)  (All US JHU)

Business and industry  (All JHU (incl. International))

Business and Industry: Africa  (Homewood)

ProQuest Asian Business and Reference  (All US JHU)

Additional Databases (JHU accounts only)

Business Insights  (All US JHU)

Compustat (JHU faculty and graduate students for academic research only)  (All US JHU)

Global Insight  (All US JHU)

Gartner Advisory Intra Web  (All US JHU)

Web Sites (some free information):

U.S. Government Export Portal
Free registration required to access distributors and market research reports; includes trade shows, news, key contacts and country-specific information.
 
Public Companies in Asia 
 
 
Corporate Information : Excellent gateway for company overviews and corporate information
nationally and worldwide; Links to corporate directories, government resources, stock exchanges and other information.


Wall Street Research Net : Also contains information on Canadian companies.


SEDAR : Canada's site for public company filings (similar to
EDGAR), which began in January 1997.

 
European Patent Office : free international patents (abstracts, complete documents, some
applications)

 
The Intellectual Property Network : IBM site with free access to U.S., European and Japanese patents.