Business Researchers Network articles from September 2002

Business Researchers Network archives from September 2002

New sunshine in Mexico.
September 1, 2002... A landmark Federal Law on Transparency and Access to Information was recently enacted by the government of Mexico. It guarantees all citizens the right to have access to government information on spending, decision making, and policy formation,...

More reliability for Hong Kong financials.
September 1, 2002... The Securities and Futures Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has published proposed rules that crack down on persons who lie to or mislead the public in listing documents or company announcements. A spokesperson for...

Where to find workers' rights info: http://www.senser.com/links.htm.
September 1, 2002... If you're tracking workers' rights issues, try the comprehensive collection of nearly 30 web sources, identified at the link above.

You've come a long way, Norway.
September 1, 2002... Norwegian corporate personalities are about to undergo a major change as new regulations are implemented to enforce a mandatory quota of 40-percent female membership on corporate boards. State-owned firms must meet the requirement in less...

Boost the power of your intranet with BRN.
September 1, 2002... If you haven't yet instructed us to supplement your print copy of BRN with our electronic edition in Microsoft Word, jump on the bandwagon ASAP. Your personal advantage will be the ability to click on any links to visit featured sites. ...

High tech and Appalachia: http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=1008.
September 1, 2002... A new report by the Appalachian Regional Commission, available at the above link, documents the status of information, computing, and telecommunications technologies in the region, assessing their relationship to economic growth and the...

Technology transfer & intellectual property: http://www.ftc.gov/be/workpapers/wp250.pdf.
September 1, 2002... A new study by the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Economic Research, available at the above link, analyzes the manner in which multinational firms facilitate technology transfer from industrialized countries (predominantly in the Northern...

EDGAROnline adds foreign company reports: http://www.edgar-online.com.
September 1, 2002... Annual and interim reports from more than 13,300 companies in 34 countries are now available through EDGAROnline, a fee-based service specializing in providing public company information contained in SEC filings. The new global company...

South Korea's energy sector: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/skorea.html.
September 1, 2002... An August 2002 update on South Korea's energy sector, prepared by the Energy Information Administration, is available at the above link. South Korea is important to world energy markets as the fourth largest oil importer, and the second largest...

Rankings of top 100 specialty retailers: http://www.stores.org/archives/cover.html.
September 1, 2002... The nation's top 100 specialty retailers are ranked at the above link. Commentary on many of the top performers, including the rationales behind their upward or downward placement on the top 100 list is provided. Sales volume, earnings,...

Internet cafes throughout the world: http://www.cybercafe.com/.
September 1, 2002... When your business or pleasure travel takes you to one of the lesser-developed countries, connecting your laptop to the Internet can be difficult if not impossible. Don't despair. The link above contains a hypermap that will steer you to...

WV Supreme Court of Appeals on the Web: http://www.state.wv.us/wvsca/Webcast.htm.
September 1, 2002... The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals now offers free, live, streaming video broadcasts of all motions and oral arguments. Click the link above for access details and the calendar.

Internet Banking: Developments & Prospects: http://www.occ.treas.gov/netbank/ebankingdpapr02.pdf.
September 1, 2002... Internet Banking: Developments and Prospects, available at the above link, is a 55-page report that examines gaps in knowledge about Internet banking. It outlines Internet banking plans of national banks, the current demand for Internet...

Legislative research in Georgia: http://www.sos.state.ga.us/archives/lrfaq.htm.
September 1, 2002... The link above provides detailed instructions on performing legislative research in the State of Georgia. It answers questions such as "How do I prove legislative intent?," "What is available online?," "Where can I find biographical information...

Canada's fastest growing companies: http://www.profitguide.com/profit100/2002/p100.asp.
September 1, 2002... The Profit 100 list of Canada's 100 fastest growing companies for 2002 is much more than a simple ranking. Click on any of the 100 entries for information such as the company's industry, location, date founded, name of top executive, revenue,...

Defense Statistics of the UK updated: http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2002/rp02-048.pdf.
September 1, 2002... A newly released paper by the United Kingdom House of Commons, Defence Statistics--July 2002, available at the above link, updates statistics relating to defense expenditures in light of the UK's recent spending review, and explains some of the...

Investigating private companies: http://www.virtualehase.com/artieles/private_companies.html.
September 1, 2002... Whether you're a seasoned CI pro or new in the profession, you'll likely be reminded of, or learn for the first time, a tip to two for investigating private companies at the above link which features an article entitled Investigating Private...

Locate federal procurement opportunities: http://www.fedbizopps.gov/.
September 1, 2002... FedBizOpps, at the above link, is the single government point-of-entry for federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000. Government buyers publicize their business opportunities by posting information. Commercial vendors...

White collar crime: http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/white_collar.html.
September 1, 2002... We won't mention any names (company or otherwise), but if you're tracking recent corporate and individual malfeasance that's been in the news, and want an information resource that will steer you to a wide, wide world of information on white...

Federal agency Networking and Information Technology R&D contacts.
September 1, 2002... The multiagency Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program occupies a unique position in the federal government's science and technology research portfolio. There is no other single area of either science or...

Opportunities in the former Soviet Union.
September 1, 2002... The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), located in Moscow, and the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU), located in Kiev, are intergovernmental bodies with the following members: United States, Russia, Ukraine, Japan,...

Top 10 innovators for 2002: http://www.redherring.com/insider/2002/0815/innovators081502.html.
September 1, 2002... Red Herring offers a list of their favorite ten innovators at the above link. In addition to providing the names of the individual scientists and entrepreneurs, detailed descriptions of their achievements are provided. The average number...

Keen up to date on the business of sports: http://sportsbusinessnews.com.
September 1, 2002... SBN (Sports Business News), at the above link, provides news relating to the business aspects of sports. The site provides news divided by particular sport or by the day on which the news was reported. Coverage includes ownership issues,...

High-tech company news from New Jersey: http://www.techsourcenj.com/.
September 1, 2002... TechSourceNJ, at the above link, provides news about New Jersey high-tech firms, providing news and marketing information. Items are stored by date and archived for one week. Our test drive on August 30 found news, for that date, on...

Economic and demographic data from Utah: http://govemor.utah.gov/dea/publications/Data_Guide/data_guide.html.
September 1, 2002... Utah Data Guide is a quarterly newsletter issued by the Demographic and Economic Analysis Section of the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. Each issue contains a wealth of data. The current, Spring/Summer edition features "Census 2000...

Australia's fastest growing industries: http://www.aph.gov.au/libray/pubs/rn/2002-03/03rn06.pdf.
September 1, 2002... A new report from Australia's Parliamentary Library reviews the growth rate of various industries between 1995 and 2001. Australia's Growth Industries in the Age of the Knowledge Economy is found at the above link. While the economy grew...

How credible are management forecasts? http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/PDFs/1061.pdf.
September 1, 2002... A recently released Wharton School study, Credibility of Management Forecasts, available at the above link, examines the credibility of management earnings forecasts. It contrasts forecasts of healthy firms with financially distressed firms as...

Track U.K. financial regulators: http://www.frb.co.uk/.
September 1, 2002... The monthly Financial Regulatory Briefing covers more than 90 major regulators, trade associations, and government departments. Available in print format only, subscriptions may be ordered for o135 (airmail to U.S.) through the above link.

Government intervention vs. market forces: http://www-pam.usc.edu/.
September 1, 2002... The Planning and Markets web site, at the link above, provides background information and discussion of the economy, with a focus on the contrast between government intervention and market forces. Sponsored by the University of Southern...

Women of Color in Corporate Management.
September 1, 2002... Catalyst, a nonprofit research and advisory organization working to advance women in business and the professions, has released an updated report, Women of Color in Corporate Management: Three Years Later. The organization tracked a core group...

Congress eyes inversions and expatriation.
September 1, 2002... Recent reports indicate that an increasing number of U.S. firms have altered their corporate structure by substituting a foreign parent corporation for a domestic one. Such "inversions" typically involve creation of a new foreign corporation in...

World Steel in Figures 2002: http://www.worldsteel.org/wsif.php.
September 1, 2002... The International Iron and Steel Institute's reference World Steel in Figures 2002, available in both html and pdf form at the above link, is a treasure trove of data on that industry. In the reference you'll find data on world crude steel...

Congressional Pictorial Directory.
September 1, 2002... The newly released Congressional Pictorial Directory, 107th Congress, 2nd Session, provides a photograph of each member of the House of and Senate. It includes information about length of service, political party affiliations, and Congressional...

Fortune Fastest-Growing Companies Database.
September 1, 2002... You can have valuable information at your fingertips on America's fastest growing business. The Fortune Fastest-Growing Companies Database contains two lists--Fortune's 100 Fastest-Growing Companies and Fortune Small Business' Fastest-Growing...

Who's hedging on company financials? http://www.sec.gov/rules/extra/ceocfo.htm#ceo.
September 1, 2002... The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicated that the CEOs and CFOs of 16 companies whose reports were due Aug. 14 did not certify to the accuracy and completeness of their companies' reports and instead filed explanations or other...

Australian newspapers online: http://www.nla.gov.au/oz/npapers.html.
September 1, 2002... The link above takes you to a hyperdirectory of Australian newspapers having a web presence. With more than 300 entries ranging alphabetically from the Advertiser & Sunday Mail and the Advocate to the Wollongong Advertiser and The Yorke...

Challenges and opportunities in East Asia: http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/idea0208-4.html.
September 1, 2002... The Initiative for Development in East Asia (IDEA) Ministerial Meeting, held August 12, 2002, focused on challenges facing East Asia and the direction for future development in the region. Details may be found at the above link. Included...

Banks that are friendly to small Business: http://www.sba.gov/advo/stats/02micro_study.pdf.
September 1, 2002... Micro-Business Friendly Banks in the United States provides current business micro-loan data. It provides a review and analysis of micro-lending activities (transactions under $100,000). Included is a list of top micro-lenders.

Custom reports from FPDC.
September 1, 2002... The Federal Procurement Data Center (FPDC) maintains a central repository of detailed information on federal contracts over $25,000. An FPDC Special Report can be customized to meet your specific requirements. It can include any of the...

Foreign Direct Investment in U.S. Energy: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/finance/fdi/advance/index.html.
September 1, 2002... Recently released is a report by the Energy Information Administration, Foreign Direct Investment in U.S. Energy, 2000, available at the above link. The report presents an analysis of foreign direct investment in U.S. energy resources and...

Saudi PR campaign launched: http://www.saudiembassy.net/press_release/terror-Aug02.pdf.
September 1, 2002... Given the substantial U.S. business interests and other investments in the United States by Saudi Arabia, BRN offers, without comment, their first salvo in the substantial PR effort that country has launched. It's available at the above link,...

How to Find (Australian) Company Info: http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/vl/cinfo/cinfocon.htm.
September 1, 2002... Step by step, How to Find Company Information is a hypertext guide to finding information on Australian companies as well as companies in other countries. Specify "Australian," "Overseas" or "Not Sure." Then click "Public Company," Private...

SBA and DOL to aid entrepreneurs.
September 1, 2002... The Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor have joined forces in a just-born (August 28, 2002) program to create, support and expand small businesses. The Growing America Through Entrepreneurship, or Project GATE. ...

Tourism industry in Scotland: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/whats_happening/ research/pdf_res_brief/sb02-97.pdf.
September 1, 2002... The Economics of Tourism, available at the above link, examines the contribution of tourism to the Scottish economy. It highlights the economic characteristics of the industry, economic developments within the industry, and economic issues that...

Information technology in support of peace: http://www.usip.org/vdi/vdr/13.html.
September 1, 2002... Information Technology and Peace Support Operations: Relationship for the New Millennium is a new report by the United States Institute for Peace, available at the above link. To set the context for the development and integration of IT in...

Innovation, demand, investment in telehealth: http://www.ta.doc.gov/reports/TechPolicy/Telehealth-020619.htm.
September 1, 2002... The U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration recently sponsored a roundtable discussion on "Innovation, Demand, and Investment in Telehealth." Three of the key presentations; "The Innovation Side of Telehealth, "The Demand Side...

How to find information in State Courts: http://www.cdt.org/publications/020821courtrecords.shtml.
September 1, 2002... The Center for Democracy and Technology has published a new report, A Quiet Revolution in the Courts: Electronic Access to State Court Records, A CDT Survey of State Activity and Comments on Privacy, Cost, Equity and Accountability, available...

Read company internal memos: http://www.internalmemos.com/.
September 1, 2002... Internalmemos.com claims it has "the Internet's largest collection of corporate memos and internal communications." It's likely true. See for yourself at the above link. Many may be viewed free. Some require you to be a subscriber, but the...

What's Kansas doing in Norway? http://www.corporateinformation.com/definitions.html.
September 1, 2002... If you see "KS" appended to the name of a Norwegian company, it sure doesn't mean it has a thing to do with Kansas. It's an abbreviation for Kommandittselskap and it means the firm is a limited partnership in which at least one partner has...

Trade policies of 55 countries: http://mkaccdb.eu.int/mkdb/mkdb.pl.
September 1, 2002... The free Sectoral and Trade Database at the link above offers reports on 55 countries. Researchers can use this tool to create an in-depth profile of a country's trade policies.

International Trade Administration consumer goods specialists.
September 1, 2002... Whether you're researching U.S. or foreign companies and their consumer goods; export opportunities; the impact of imports on U.S. companies and industries; or trade practices of foreign countries, you'll find the specialists at the U.S....

Look inside 850,000 non-profit organizations: http://www.guidestar.org/index.jsp.
September 1, 2002... GuideStar, at the above link, lets you search its database, free, for detailed information on non-profit organizations While the most useful item you'll find may be your target organization's Form 990, filed with the Internal Revenue...

"Fly" for business or pleasure: http://www.terrafly.com/.
September 1, 2002... Whether you need a bird's-eye view of your target company's factory, want to recreate by "flying" down to Florida, or crave a view of your old home town, TerraFly, at the above link, will take you there. It's unique. While there are other...

Company information in Maryland: http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/ucc-charter/CharterSearch_f.asp.
September 1, 2002... If your target company--whether a corporation, partnership, or proprietorship--has operations in Maryland, the above link can provide useful information. You can search by company name or individual owner's name. Depending on the nature of...

Search lobbyist disclosure filings: http://sopr.senate.gov/.
September 1, 2002... The Senate Office of Public Records, at the above link, maintains a searchable database of disclosure filings of lobbyists. Through this valuable resource you can locate the firm and individual names of lobbyists representing specific...

Who's lobbying California? http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Lobbying/.
September 1, 2002... Of all the states, California has the easiest-to-use and most extensive database of state lobbyists we've found. It's free at the above link. Four separate search forms let you easily locate individual lobbyists, lobbying firms, and lobbyist...

Chat with the Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/.
September 1, 2002... The Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room at the Library of Congress is now open for live chat reference service. Along with ten other LC reading rooms, it is open from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. They...

China's Asset Management Corporations: http://www.bis.org/publ/work115.pdf.
September 1, 2002... Switzerland's Bank for International Settlements has just published a new 21-page report, China's Asset Management Corporations, available at the above link. China set up four asset management corporations to address the banking system's...

Find business partners in New Zealand: http://www.tradenz.govt.nz/page_Article/0,1300,3070,00.html.
September 1, 2002... Investment New Zealand helps U.S. and other foreign firms locate investment opportunities, find strategic alliances and partnerships with New Zealand companies. To discuss current opportunities, call or e-mail one of the following...

Information technology and keiretsu: http://econwpa.wustl.edu: 8089/eps/io/papers/0207/0207009.pdf.
September 1, 2002... Recent advances in information technology may dramatically change the basic nature of Japanese manufacturer-supplier relationships. For example, Japanese manufacturers might change the nature of parts required for their products from customized...

Business trends in transition economies: http://www.sofi.ch/index2_new.html.
September 1, 2002... The Swiss Organization for Facilitating Investments (SOFI) promotes investment projects between Swiss companies and counterparts in countries with developing and transition economies. While SOFI tracks developments in transition economies...

U.S. affiliates of foreign companies: http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/ARTICLES/2002/08August/USAffiliates.pdf.
September 1, 2002... A new 19-page report by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis, available at the above link, shows that in 2000, record levels of new foreign investment helped boost the current-dollar gross product of U.S. nonbank affiliates of...

China Commercial Brief: http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn /fcs/english/products/china_commercial_brief.html.
September 1, 2002... China Commercial Brief published by the American Embassy, Beijing, is a biweekly publication, delivered by e-mail. It includes summaries of developments in China's various commercial sectors, tips on doing business in China, and U.S. Embassy...

The foreign interface of antitrust: http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/international/int_arrangements.htm.
September 1, 2002... Frequently mergers, acquisitions, and other events with monopolistic implications occurring in one country can have implications in another. To counter problems that may arise, the United States maintains antitrust cooperation agreements...

Biotech food and crops: http://www.oecd.org/pdf/M00025000/M00025559.pdf.
September 1, 2002... A detailed summary of a recent conference on New Biotechnology Food and Crops: Science, Safety, and Society, sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is available at the above link. The conference explored...