MKT 426: International Marketing:
Finding articles & market research for your target market
Creating keyword searches- Article Databases
- Market & Industry Databases
1. Creating keyword searches
- The key to success is being flexible, creative, and patient in your searches. Don't just try one keyword search; instead, try many variations, and try them in different databases.
- Look for related terms and (if necessary) broader terms for your product name. Consider the name of the industry(s) that might utilize your product, too.
- Truncate -- put an * at the end a word to include alternative endings. For example, searching for medic* will also search for medical, medicine, medicines, and medicinal.
- Use search connectors (AND, OR).
Examples from past MKT426 projects:
A. Exporting rocking chairs to South Korea
Related term: rockers
Broader terms: chairs; furniture
Related county names: korea; korean
Sample searches:
- (rocking chair* or rockers) and korea*
- (chair* or furniture) and korea*
B. Exporting metal corrosion inhibitor (a chemical) to Ireland
Related term: corrode
Broader terms: metal; steel; iron; foundry
Related country name: irish
Sample searches:
- (corrosion or corrod*) and (irish or ireland)
- (metal* or steel or iron or foundr*) and (irish or ireland)
C. Exporting urine-sample supplies to Singapore
Related term: urine analysis; urine examination
Broader term: drug testing
Even broader terms: medical supplies; medical equipment
Sample searches:
- urine and (sample* or analysis or exam*) and singapore
- drug test* and singapore
- medic* and (supplies or equipment) and singapore
2. Article databases to search
Try multiple keyword searches in all of these databases.- While you'll probably find overlap in articles from these databases, each does provide some unique articles.
Business Source Premier
- Our biggest database for business articles.
- Using the "more options," you can search by NAICS code, too.
General OneFile
- Our second-biggest database for business articles.
OneSource Global (select "International Businesses" in ReferenceUSA)
- Select the "News & Reports" section.
- Provides full text articles from newspapers, newswires, and trade magazines.
- Use the advanced search to easily focus on certain countries, industries, etc.
- More info
LexisNexis Academic
- Good for international newspapers that aren't covered by the above databases.
- Note that there are default date ranges.
Business & Industry
- Provides no full text, but the abstracts usually contain the key data from each article.
- Covers specific markets and industries from around the world.
- How to search B&I using a SIC code
3. Market research reports
- These may provide market statistics (ex. consumer expenditures, market volume, market value, or annual sales) for a product in a certain country.
- They may also provide analysis of the market, including trends (much like articles often do.)
Euromonitor Global Market Information Database
- Provides marketing data and reports on countries, companies, markets, and consumers from over 200 countries.
Mintel Reports
- Provides full-text market and consumer research reports.
- Covers Europe and the US.
- Requires free registration.
S&P NetAdvantage
- Includes industry surveys for Europe and Asia.
