Available for free download: A PDF copy of my guide
“Tips for Finding Quality Cost-free Internet Resources in International Business”

• Cato Institute-- This libertarian U.S. think-tank features a large online library of free policy studies and briefings, some on international affairs, such those of the Center for Trade Policy Studies, publicizing the benefits of free trade and the costs of protectionism. Note the Institute's annual Economic Freedom of the World report, free online, that ranks countries on dozens of measures of economic freedom.

• Fraser Institute-- Independent Canadian research and educational organization with the mission "to measure, study, and communicate the impact of competitive markets and government intervention on the welfare of individuals." Sponsors the Economic Freedom of the World Project (Free the World), which conducts and posts detailed comparative studies on economic freedom around the world, most notably the Economic Freedom of the World Report, with both global and country-specific analysis and rankings.

• globalEDGE-- World class international business portal site from the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), Michigan State University, with resource desk, news, knowledge room, country insights, discussion forum, diagnostic tools, glossary, learning and teaching resources, course modules, and more.

• Global Integrity-- "Generates, synthesizes, and disseminates credible, comprehensive and timely information on governance and corruption trends around the world... Our information is meant to serve simultaneously as a roadmap for engaged citizens, a reform checklist for policymakers, and a guide to the business climate for investors." Posts much insightful data and analysis. Note especially the Global Integrity Report and the Global Integrity Index.

• Group of 8 Information Centre-- From the G8 Research Group at the University of Toronto, "G7/G8 background information, all documentation arising from G7 summit meetings, available documentation from G7 ministerial and other meetings," and "scholarly articles and bibliographies about the G7 process."

• Index of Economic Freedom-- "A [searchable] practical reference guide to the world's economies. It includes country-by-country analyses and the most up-to-date data available on foreign investment codes, taxes, tariffs, banking regulations, monetary policy, black markets, and more," from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank aiming to spread the ideas of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. Co-published with The Wall Street Journal.

• International Business Resource Connection-- This excellent Web site of the University of Kansas (known as the IBRC) is definitely one of the very best and most comprehensive collections of international trade and business resources on the Internet. Note especially the country, statistical, and intercultural resource sections.

• International Trade Resources-- Excellent and very useful "Subject Tracer™ Information Blog developed and created by the Virtual Private Library™. It is designed to bring together the latest resources and sources on an ongoing basis from the Internet covering the latest international trade resources..."

• Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics-- A highly-regarded, private, nonprofit, nonpartisan American research institution devoted to the study of international economic policy, especially in anticipating emerging issues and offering "practical ideas, presented in user-friendly formats, to inform and shape public debate." Many working papers, policy briefs, speeches, testimonies, and so forth are online.

• Trade Observatory-- From the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (USA), "dedicated to gathering information about international trade and making it free to the public, a true repository of as much information about global trade as we can find." Monitors and analyzes globalization, global trade policy, inequities in the global trade system (particularly in the World Trade Organization), and sustainable development issues. Hundreds of free documents, treaties, and several newsletters are available here.

• Transparency International-- "The global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption...[with a mission] to create change towards a world free of corruption... by building momentum for the anti-corruption movement, raising awareness and diminishing apathy and tolerance of corruption, as well as devising and implementing practical actions to address it." TI's many excellent online corruption surveys, indices, working papers, and reports analyze and rank countries "in terms of the degree to which they are perceived to be the homes of... public officials who abuse their office for personal gain."

• Tuck Trade Agreements Database-- From the Center for International Business at Dartmouth College, "contains the most comprehensive collection of texts of bilateral and regional free trade agreements available on a single online site as well as the only database of free trade and customs union agreements text-searchable by provision or keyword."

• Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce-- Data, articles, and surveys on exports, imports, and capital flows to and from the U.S., and its  position in the world economy.

• Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States-- From the U.S. Department of Commerce, about doing  business in Russia and the other states of the former Soviet Union, with online embassy, market, industry, and country reports, and more.

• Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Tokyo, Japan-- Information about doing business in Japan and the Japanese economy, plus U.S. and Japanese links.

• Customs and Border Protection-- "The single unified border agency of the United States." Information on the agency's border control and customs functions, with official statements, import, export, border security, and international travel information, regulations, statistics, and forms. Note the Customs Rulings Online Search System, a searchable database of CBP rulings, plus trade-related links.

• Department of Agriculture Agency Reports-- "Newsroom" to access and search current and past reports of the Economic Research Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, and World Agricultural Outlook Board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• Export.gov-- "The portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the [U.S.] federal government." A huge amount of current market information and analysis for many products and countries, advice on practical matters, and links to related U.S. government websites on trade topics is available through this searchable site. The excellent Market Research section contains many analytical reports and statistics on a wide range of international business-related information, including country situations and practices.

• Export-Import Bank-- The Export-Import Bank of the United States is an independent U.S. government agency that helps finance the overseas sales of U.S. goods and services.

• Foreign Agricultural Service-- Searchable news and analysis on world agricultural trade and policy, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, by countries and commodities, especially as affects the United States. The USDA Economic Research Service U.S. Agricultural Trade Briefing Room has information and data on U.S. agricultural trade with all the countries and regions of the world. Also see the more general USDA Economic Research Service Briefing Rooms for much topical information and analysis.

• GLOBUS & NTDB-- From STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, current and historical trade-related releases, international market research,  trade opportunities, country analysis, and the National Trade Data Bank--some data available by subscription only. Note especially their International Trade Library, a large and major resource.

• International Labor Comparisons, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics-- Comparative statistical information on labor conditions and developments outside the United States.

• Overseas Private Investment Corporation-- An independent U.S. government agency that assists U.S. companies investing in some 150 emerging economies around the world.

• Market Access and Compliance Center, U.S. Department of Commerce-- Ensures that trade agreements that the U. S. signs are monitored and complied with.

• Trade.gov-- Website of the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, "provides access to ITA's valuable information and services regarding U.S. international trade policy." Note the Market Research Library of the U.S. Commercial Service.

• TradeAgreements.gov-- "Interagency effort by the United States government to provide the public with the latest information on America's trade agreements. A joint effort between the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, State, Treasury and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, this website will be regularly updated with news about existing agreements, as well as pending free trade agreements..."

• Trade Data Online-- From Industry Canada, the latest searchable trade data for the U.S. and Canada, obtained from Statistics Canada and the U.S. Department of Commerce, by product and industry. "Provides the ability to generate customized reports on Canada's and U.S. trade in goods with over 200 countries."

• TradeStats Express-- From the Office of Trade and Economic Analysis in the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, information about U.S. imports and exports that can be arranged, compared, and contrasted in many combinations and in a clear format by an advanced search facility.

• U.S. Foreign Trade Statistics-- From the U.S. Census Bureau. Includes profile of U.S. exporting companies.

• U.S. International Trade Commission-- An independent, quasi-judicial federal agency that provides trade expertise to government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement. The very useful Interactive Tariff and Trade DataWeb allows customized free searches of various types of U.S. trade data by country and product. Also note the many publications free online.

• United States Trade Representative-- Responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and leading or directing negotiations with other countries on such matters. Note the searchable document library and the many full-text reports and trade agreements available, plus the issue, regional, and sector-specific sections, including U.S. trade policy.

• Corporate Information-- Here you can research a company, a country's main industries, country information links, currency exchange rates, world news (especially business news), company press releases, and more.

• Doing Business in…-- From HLB International, a fine set of country business guides..."prepared for the use of clients, partners and staff of HLB International member firms. It is designed to give some general information to those contemplating doing business in other countries and are not intended to be comprehensive documents."

• Economist-- The outstanding global news weekly from London, with library and searchable archives. Note the Economist Country Briefings, country summaries composed of "articles from The Economist, background profiles, forecasts and statistics from the Economist Intelligence Unit, market and currency updates, newswires and links."

• Economist Intelligence Unit-- This affiliate of  the Economist provides "instant access to global business intelligence," some free and some on a subscription basis.

• Ernst & Young, Global Section-- Ernst & Young's most helpful site for analysis of the investment climate, taxation, forms of business organization, and business and accounting practices in many countries. Many reports online or linked, particularly in the Library.

• Euromoney Online-- This site includes Euromoney and World Link magazines, extended research and surveys, capital markets league tables from Euromoney's proprietary databases, and dates of forthcoming industry summits, conferences and seminars.  Requires free registration.

• ExecutivePlanet-- "To inspire business travelers to travel with greater cultural awareness," explanations of business cultures and practices, protocol, and cross-cultural tips for major trading nations around the world.

• Far Eastern Economic Review-- Leading source for Asian economic and business news and analysis, with searchable archives.

• Financial Times-- The famous international business newspaper from London.

• Getting Through Customs-- By the intercultural training firm of the same name, selections, tips, and quizzes on customs, taboos, holidays, and general dos and don'ts around the world.

• Global Trade Portal-- From the Federation of International Trade Associations, aims to be "the most content-rich international trade site on the WWW." Note especially the impressive, annotated, and indexed Really Useful Links for International Trade, one of the best searchable databases of international trade Web resources.

• Interex.be-- From Bank Brussels Lambert of Belgium, an excellent searchable site with much business-oriented information in many categories for scores of countries, plus notes on trends and opportunities worldwide.

• International Chamber of Commerce-- From "the world business organization," information on the organization, its activities, national affiliates, conferences, and international trade and investment generally.

• International Institute for Management Development-- An independent, not-for-profit foundation located in Lausanne, Switzerland, to help executives and companies find new and innovative ways to sustain global competitiveness. Note the online information from their widely-quoted World Competitiveness Yearbook, "the world’s most renowned and comprehensive annual report on the competitiveness of nations, ranking and analyzing how a nation’s environment creates and sustains the competitiveness of enterprises."

• International stock market quotes-- Major world indices from Yahoo!

• Journal of Commerce-- World-class international business newspaper, searchable and with archives.

• Kwintessential Language and Culture Specialists of the UK provide cross-cultural guidance in the form of Country Profiles, key phrases, articles, and online quizzes.

• Live Currency Converter-- "Converts any amount from one currency to another with more than 150 foreign currenies available. Exchange rates are updated every hour."

• Market Watch-- From Dow Jones & Company, thorough coverage of the world's stock markets.

• Universal Currency Converter-- This full version of the Universal Currency Converter figures rates among over 180 currencies. A standard version is also available for most uses.

• U.S. Council for International Business-- American affiliate of the International Chamber of Commerce, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, and the International Organisation of Employers. It officially represents U.S. business positions both in the main intergovernmental bodies and to foreign business communities and their governments.

• Wall Street Journal-- The world famous Dow Jones business and finance newspaper, online. Includes special editions for the World, Europe, Asia, and India.

• World Trade Centers Association-- This organization of nearly 300 World Trade Centers in almost 100 countries offers services and facilities to companies seeking to expand international markets. Their  World Trade Library features links to international trade-related Web sites on the Internet, including country-specific information, news, and trade law.

• Bank for International Settlements-- Owned and controlled by national central banks, the BIS provides services to central banks and, through them, to the international financial system more generally. Site hosts Publications on world banking, statistics on international finance, links to the central banks of the world, and a Central Bank Research Hub with publications from the world's central banks.

• Consumers International-- "Worldwide non-profit federation of consumer organisations, dedicated to the protection and promotion of consumer interests." Publications, annual report, newsletters, campaigns, issues, links.

• FDI.net--  Supported by several governments and the UN's Industrial Development Organization, "a unique web portal that offers free, on-demand country analysis and information on all things related to foreign direct investment in 175 countries. The site combines business and public resources with World Bank Group analysis to provide users with a single entry point for the full-spectrum of information needed to make a decision about investing in a foreign country."

• Foreign Trade Information System-- Trade Unit of the Organization of American States, with information, statistics, and documents about hemispheric integration, trade trends in the Western Hemisphere, and links to further data.

• Free Trade Area of the Americas-- "Official home page of the Free Trade Area of the Americas process or FTAA. This site follows the process initiated in the 1994 Summit of the Americas to integrate the economies of the Western Hemisphere into a single free trade arrangement."

• GATT Digital Library-- From Stanford University, "this site provides access to documents and information of and about the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), an organization that promoted international commerce and the reduction of trade barriers among member states from 1947-1994."

• International Monetary Fund Publications-- Extensive search facility for IMF titles, many of which appear in full text, although some must be ordered. The World Economic Outlook Report is a survey by the IMF staff, usually published twice a year, to present "IMF staff economists' analyses of global economic developments during the near and medium term." Also see the World Economic Outlook Databases.

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-- An IGO "network of the national standards institutes of 146 countries, on the basis of one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system." Site has information on the ISO and its work, with documents and reports about the standardization of products and services in the global market.

• International Trade Centre-- A  joint subsidiary organ of the WTO and the United Nations, ITC posts excellent infobases, including bibliographies, trade contacts and information sources, trade statistics, services, and market briefs.

• Market Access Database-- From the Commission of the European Union, market and trade flow data by country, sector, or legal agreement area for scores of non-EU countries.  Also see the European Commission's External Trade site for much information on EU trade matters, internally and with non-members.

• NAFTA Secretariat-- Organization responsible for administration of NAFTA dispute settlements. This site posts "information on the dispute settlement proceedings, legal texts and panel decisions and reports respecting the NAFTA."

• Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation-- The international organization of the industrialized, market-economy countries, to exchange information and harmonize policy to maximize economic growth within member countries and assist non-member countries to develop more rapidly. OECD statistics and many data sets are posted online. The searchable Publications and Documents section is a good place to start. OECD resources focusing on a particular country (OECD member or not) can be found  at the Country Portal. Note especially the  very useful yearly OECD Factbook, "an essential tool providing a global overview of world economic, social and environmental trends." Read the online version of the OECD Observer magazine for a topical approach to the latest interests of OECD research.

• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-- "UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment and development issues." Site posts major development studies in summary or full-text, basic documents, and newsletters. Many UNCTAD Programmes and Activities subsites are relevant to international business, such as Investment and Enterprise, Foreign Direct Investment Statistics, and Trade Analysis.

• World Bank Group-- This central site includes the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Agency, the International Finance Corporation, the Multilateral Guarantee Agency, and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. A very large number of excellent online publications is available. Take a look at the large Data and Research section. See the journal Finance & Development. Check out the large Trade section of the Bank, with many online publications. The very useful Doing Business site "provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 181 economies and selected cities at the subnational and regional level," especially concerning how regulations "enhance or constrain investment, productivity, and growth." Country business environment profile and annual world-wide reports are available. Business Environment Snapshots is a very useful and thorough country profiling facility, a "one-stop guide to business environment indicators, laws, and World Bank Group project information for 151 countries." The Political Risk Insurance Center provides country analyses and research tools. The Business Planet interactive map-based website "maps flagship online databases of the World Bank Group that support private sector-led growth and financial market development in developing countries." The World Bank's Enterprise Analysis unit allows user-customized inquiries with Enterprise Survey data "on the investment climate in 110 countries, based on surveys of some 86,000 firms. Enterprise surveys measure business perceptions of the investment climate, and can be used to analyze the link to job creation and productivity growth." World Trade Indicators is a comparative "interactive tool... designed to benchmark a country’s trade policy and institutions and help policy makers, advisors, and analysts identify the main border and behind-the border constraints to trade integration."

• World Customs Organization-- This international organization dealing with customs regulations worldwide posts much information, explanation, and analysis of customs regulations and procedures, news, WTO recommendations, historical documents, a magazine, and links to national customs authorities.

• World Economic Forum-- A world-class organization of leaders from business, government, academia, and the media in a partnership to create new business opportunities and to shape and address in an action-oriented way the key issues on the global agenda. Many excellent online publications about international business. Note the Global Competitiveness section, including the prestigious yearly Global Competitiveness Report and regional reports.

• World Trade Organization-- The only global body dealing with the rules of trade among nations, whose agreements are the legal ground-rules for international commerce and for trade policy. This excellent site has a huge amount of information on international trade, including all official documents issued under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Note the Resources page for statistics, research, publications and other services of the WTO, the International Trade Statistics page, and the Official Documents page for searchable access to all online official WTO documents. The annual World Tariff Profiles "provides detailed data on the bound and applied tariffs of WTO members." The detailed WTO annual report on international trade statistics and the Trade Profiles booklet are especially useful. There is a regional trade agreements section and a Regional Trade Agreements Information System that allows retrieval of information on all RTAs notified to the GATT/WTO. Note the Chronological List of Disputes Cases and the Map of Disputes between WTO Members.