Data Sources for Business and Market Analysis: 4th Ed.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0810846586 ISBN 13: 9780810846586

Publisher: Scarecrow Press, 1994

Includes coverage of intergovernmental and foreign business information sources and a new chapter on sources for software and hardware.

About the Author:

John Ganly is Assistant Director, Science, Industry and Business Library, New York Public Library, and Adjunct Professor, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers―The State University of New Jersey. He has also published Small Business Sourcebook (Gale), Serials for Libraries (Neal-Schuman), and numerous papers and articles. In July 1992 he developed and implemented the information center used at the Democratic National Convention in New York City.

From Booklist:

Originally issued under the title Market Analysis: A Handbook of Current Data Sources, the second and third editions of this book were published in 1969 and 1983 under the current title. This fourth edition has the same scope as earlier ones, which is to provide for the business researcher a guide to business information sources "primarily but not exclusively" related to statistics in all formats on a global scale. Coverage has been expanded to take into account the revolution in publishing of statistical sources on CD-ROM; the important global marketplace and changes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet republics, as well as East Asian business markets; and the move by federal and state governments to reduce costs by shifting to private publishers or by ending informational programs altogether.

According to the editor, sources were selected on the basis of their usefulness in researching economic conditions, business trends, and consumer and industrial markets. The cutoff date for inclusion was January 1992. The first of half of the volume covers federal statistical publications (Bureau of the Census, Congress, the various executive branches, boards, committees, and commissions). Federal government databases are listed as well. Entries include Sudoc number and addresses and phone numbers for agencies. Foreign sources are divided into national, intergovernmental, and multinational organizations. The basic statistical abstract for each country is given under the country listing. Inclusion is limited to accessible sources that give official statistics. Numerous United Nations publications are listed.

The second half of the book concentrates on private sources, such as university programs, research institutes, professional and trade associations, advertising media, directories and mailing lists, and periodicals.

Each section begins with a scope note on the type of information sources covered and an annotated list of the sources. Electronic formats are noted where appropriate. The fourth edition has eliminated the complex alphanumeric numbering scheme of the previous edition but continues its "source type" arrangement for entries, which the editor feels will aid the researcher in identifying the major suppliers of information. The sections on directories and mailing lists have been greatly expanded because of the new CD-ROM products in this area. The index lists titles of sources as well as subjects, report headings, organization headings, and country and state headings.

More than 11 years have passed since the last edition of Data Sources. There have been great technological changes in the way statistical sources are accessed. The processes by which governmental bodies disseminate information have been modified, too. Libraries owning the previous edition will want to update with this new one. Large public libraries not owning the original work should invest in the fourth edition, an up-to-date global guide to business statistical sources.