International
Business Plan Guide
Kresge
Business Administration
Library
Stephen
M. Ross School of Business
University
of Michigan
Last
update by Joseph Novell,
Summer 2006
Introduction
This publication
represents a collaborative
effort between the Kresge
Business Administration
Library, the Center
for International Business
Education (CIBE) at
the Ross School of Business
(University of Michigan), as
well as the Ypsilanti U.S.
Export Assistance Center –
U.S. Department of Commerce.
This publication is designed
to assist the students and
faculty of the University of
Michigan, the Michigan
business community, and
patrons of the Kresge Business
Administration Library.
This guide seeks to
help users become more
familiar with the resources
concerning international
business at the University of
Michigan as well as on the
Internet.
In addition to the
sources in this guide, the
Kresge Business Administration
Library has compiled an
extensive collection of
material relating to international
business. The following
six parts will aid in the
development of an
international business plan:
Part
1 - Classification
systems.
Part
2 - Select
the market(s).
Part
3 - Analyze
the potential marketability of
the product in export markets.
Part
4 - Assess
the domestic (in country)
competition.
Part
5 - Identify
limitations on trade.
Part
6 - Establish
a market entry strategy
Why
Export?
The international
marketplace is vast, with 95
percent of the world’s
consumers living outside of
the United States.
By exporting, a U.S.
business can reach a greatly
expanded group of potential
customers.
This can help small
businesses grow and become
more competitive.
By entering the
international market,
companies are able to
diversify their business
allowing them to more
effectively withstand changes
in the domestic economy.
Free trade agreements
have opened up new markets
throughout the world creating
new opportunities for U.S.
businesses.
The U.S. Commercial
Service has produced several videos
that serve as an introduction
to exporting as well as
overseas markets.
Are
You Ready?
and Going
Beyond Borders are
concerned with the benefits of
exporting as well as the
issues a business needs to
consider before deciding to
expand globally.
These videos are
designed for the small and
medium sized business, and
will help to answer questions
about how a company can enter
the international market.
The
development of an
international business plan
plays an integral role in
preparing a business to enter
or expand in the international
marketplace.
This series uses six
steps to focus research
pertaining to the global
market and to develop an
international business plan.
The sources described in
this series are divided into
three categories: Print
Sources; Subscription
Databases; and World Wide Web
(WWW) Sources.
Subscription Databases
are not accessible via the
Internet, however they may be
accessed using one of the
public terminals at the Kresge
Library.
Additional databases
are located in the A-Z
Database Listing on the
Kresge Library website. There are varying levels of access to these databases: some
accessible only to UM
constituents, some accessible
only to Ross School of
Business constituents, and
some accessible to the general
public by visiting the Kresge
Business Administration
Library.
All of the databases
listed in this document, with
the exception of STAT-USA, are
available to the public by
visiting the Kresge Library.
Questions regarding
access can be sent to: kresge_library@umich.edu.
Print
Sources
The Kresge Business
Administration Library
maintains a collection of
print sources that will aid
international business
researchers. Books, journal
titles, or other relevant
materials can be located using
the Kresge
Business Administration
Library Catalog. The
library location codes are:
Ref:
Reference Collection
Shelves – Reference books
are shelved in call number
sequence on the second floor
of the Kresge Business Library
building. The most current
edition of a title is shelved
in the Reference Collection,
with earlier editions shelved
in the Stacks.
Stacks: Stacks – Non-reference books are shelved in the stacks on
the fourth floor of the
library building by call
number.
The
University of Michigan Library
Documents Center is
another resource for
international business
information.
The Government
Documents Center is a central
reference and referral point
for government information,
whether local, state, federal,
foreign or international. The
Documents Center is located on
the second floor of the Harlan
Hatcher Graduate Library.
An appointment is recommended
for research assistance. The
Documents Center phone number
is (734) 764-0410.
In addition to the Kresge
Business Administration
Library and the Documents
Center, the University of
Michigan Library System
contains further resources
that can be accessed through
the online catalog MIRLYN.
Subscription
Databases
The Kresge Business
Administration Library
provides access to a number of
subscription
databases covering
information relevant to
international business
research.
These databases are not
available to those accessing
the Internet from outside of
the library.
All of the databases in
this document, with the
exception of STAT-USA, may be
viewed on one of the limited
number of public terminals on
the second floor of the Kresge
Library. Library personnel are available to answer questions that may
arise with the use of these
databases.
Please check the Kresge
Library Hours and Events
schedule for
Reference Desk hours.
Subscription Databases
may be available throughout
the University of Michigan
campus network or may be
restricted to the Ross School
of Business campus network.
The following icons
will indicate availability and
mode of access:
 |
Kresge Library
databases are available only
at the Kresge Business
Administration Library. |
 |
University of Michigan
databases are available
throughout the UM campus
network including the Kresge
Business Administration
Library. |
 |
Documents Center
databases are available only
at the University of Michigan
Documents Center. |
The National Trade Data
Bank (NTDB), a component of
STAT-USA, is the authoritative
source for international trade
information and statistics
published by the Economics and
Statistics Administration of
the U.S. Department of
Commerce. This database may only be accessed at the University of
Michigan Library Documents
Center with a specific
password. Please visit the Documents Center to obtain the password.
1. Go to: http://searchtools.lib.umich.edu/.
2. Select: “Find Databases” located
near the top of the page.
3. Select: “by Name”
4. Type: Stat-USA.
Each section of this
handout illustrates how the
NTDB can be used to gain
international business
information.
World
Wide Web (WWW) Sources
The World Wide Web
resources can be accessed by
anyone who has access to the
Internet. Most of the websites listed in this guide contain free
information, however, some may
require registration or charge
a fee for premium services.
Additionally the
following four websites may be
helpful in any of the six
parts:
WEB
PAGE NAME: Export Michigan
WWW
ADDRESS: http://www.exportmichigan.com/
DESCRIPTION:
Export Michigan is the award
winning homepage of the
Michigan District Export
Council (MDEC), an
organization of leaders from
the local business community
whose knowledge of
international business
provides a source of
professional advice for local
firms.
WEB
PAGE NAME: globalEDGE
WWW
ADDRESS: http://globaledge.msu.edu/
DESCRIPTION:
Created by the Center for
International Business
Education and Research at
Michigan State University (MSU-CIBER),
globalEDGE connects
international business
professionals worldwide to
global resources, country
insights, international news,
and learning resources.
WEB
PAGE NAME: Export.gov
WWW
ADDRESS: http://www.export.gov/
DESCRIPTION:
Export.gov is the portal for
all federal agencies involved
in international trade
promotion.
Export.gov brings
together resources from 19
federal agencies to assist
American businesses in
planning strategies for
international sales and
success in today’s global
marketplace.
WEB
PAGE NAME: Strategis
WWW
ADDRESS: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/engdoc/main.html
DESCRIPTION:
Strategis is a Canadian site
providing a plethora of
information for exporting
companies including trade
facts, market research
reports, industry sector
analyses, trade statistics,
and foreign investment
information. A useful site
concerning doing business in
Canada, Strategis offers many
of the same services as the US
Department of Commerce
Commercial Service.
Now, we will classify
the products and/or services
intended for export.
Date Updated: March 27, 2007
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