So a student goes into the Library and asks for a book…
No, this isn’t going to be a library joke, just an interesting punchline to a question that many business students usually need to research about at sometime in their RU career (and tend to inquire about at the Library) – where do I find information regarding doing business abroad; especially within a particular country?
A newfangled way is to try the Library’s subscription to Business Source Premier. Try typing in “Bulgaria” (or whatever country is under consideration) and, in “Select a Field”, limit to “GE Geographic Terms”. On the second line, type in “Customs”. Now click “Search”. One result is for a “Social Overview”, which is a chapter within a Country Review on Bulgaria. This will give much "Human Development Index" fluff, but midway into the overview is a brief section regarding "Ettiquette: Cultural Dos and Taboos" and, further down, a "Business Culture: Information for Business Travellers" section. Not much, but a start - continue digging around in Business Source Premier, trying other results and various search terms.
An old-fashioned, yet classic, way is to look for the circulating book called
Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands by Terri Morrison, and others. Both our Downtown and Schaumburg Campus Library own the 1994 edition: HF5389 .M67 1994. This book, and its more recent counterparts discussed below, gives information regarding "Cultural Orientations: Cognitive Styles, Negotiation Strategies, & Value Systems"; "Business Practices: Appointments, Negotiating, & Business Entertaining"; and "Protocol: Greetings, Gestures, & Gifts". They will provide perfect information for this project.
The 2006 edition of Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands can be requested via Interlibrary Loan from another library by using the I-Share library catalog.
There are also three 2007 editions of the book that focus on: 18 Latin American countries, 12 Asian
countries, and 25 European
countries. The RU Library owns Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: Europe in the print Reference collection, call number REF. HF5389 .M67 2007.
Another old-fashioned way (alright, maybe the circa 1980's way) is to photocopy from the Library’s latest Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. The twelfth edition is available in both the Downtown and Schaumburg Campus Libraries. Find it in: REF G63 .W67 2007. Worldmark will give background information, both economic and political, for each of the world's sovereign countries. Statistical information given is from 2003. You will need to jot down citation information, and should also photocopy the title page and ‘verso’. The verso is the reverse of the title page; the verso will have the title's copyright date and the publisher's name and location. The next time you email the pdf version of an article, together with its' APA or MLA formatted citation information, don’t forget to give a brief mental nod to those old-time researchers who used this ‘brute force’ method.
Good luck and enjoy the business of traveling the information superhighway!
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