Understanding the Cultural & Business Environment of Mexico 

Countries and their Cultures, 4 vols. (Reference GN703 .C68 2001)

This encyclopedia provides anthropologically informed, signed articles with an extensive bibliography of books and Web sites. The article on "Mexico" (vol. 3, pp. 1447-64) presents information on geography, demography, language, history, ethnic relations, food, economy, social structure, social welfare, political life, the arts, etiquette, and much more of interest to students of Mexican culture.

Dun & Bradstreet's Guide to Doing Business Around the World (Reference HF1416 .M78 2001)

This handbook provides an overview of business conditions and the social climate in different countries. See the chapter on "Mexico" (pp. 250-63). Find other works like this by searching IUCAT or WorldCat; try this search strategy:

(export marketing or international trade or intercultural communication) and
(cross-cultural studies or handbooks).

Encyclopedia of Mexico: History, Society and Culture, 2 vols. (Reference F1204 .E539 1997)

A good source for gaining an overview and basic knowledge of Mexico, with suggestions for further reading. See entries under "Economy" in the "Thematic Outline of Entries" (pp. xxvi-xxviii), for example, "Agrarian Policy," "Banking and Finance," "Nationalism," "North American Free Trade Agreement," "Rural Economy and Society," "Trade and Markets," etc.

Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures: The Civilizations of Mexico and Central America, 3 vols. (Reference F1218.6 .O95 2001)

These authoritative articles with bibliographies written by anthropologists and historians provide a grounding in the culture history and contemporary life of peoples throughout Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America). See entries on economic issues during the Colonial and more recent period, including "Economic Organization and Development: Post-Conquest Mesoamerican Cultures" (pp. 366-69) and "Markets" (168-71); also entries on the pre-Hispanic era, including "Economic Organization and Development: Pre-Hispanic Cultures" (pp. 363-66), "Merchants" (pp. 208-10), and "Trade and Exchange" (pp. 254-57).

ABI/INFORM Suite -

Coverage: Indexing coverage varies, with full-text content for some titles beginning 1971, and most titles indexed from 1990. Brief Description: Regional, national, and world-wide business information from scholary sources as well as news and trade publications. Tools Available: An online list of journals indexed is available. Information on search options

Academic Search Premier -

Coverage: Indexing coverage varies, with full-text content for some titles beginning 1975 or earlier, and most titles indexed from the 1990s. Brief Description: Provides abstracts and indexing of articles in more than 8,000 popular magazines, scholarly journals, and major newspapers in all fields of study, with nearly 4,000 titles available full text. Tools Available: A complete list of titles covered is available.

Business Source Premier -

Coverage: Indexing coverage varies, with full-text content for some titles beginning 1975 or earlier, and most titles indexed from the 1990s Brief Description: Provides abstracts and indexing of articles in more than 3,800 national, regional, and international business journals, updated daily, with more than 3,000 titles available in full text. Tools Available: A complete list of titles covered is available here and here.

Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) -

Coverage: 1991 to the present Brief Description: Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) is a comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs. Tools Available: A Guide to Using CIAO is available.

Corporate ResourceNet -

Coverage: 1984 to present Brief Description: Provides full-text access to articles from a smaller set of general business periodicals, trade magazines, and management journals included in Business Source Premier. Tools Available: A list of journal titles is available.

LexisNexis Academic -

Coverage: Indexing coverage varies for the 6,000 information resources included, with full-text content for some titles beginning 1980 or earlier; most titles indexed from the 1990s Brief Description: LexisNexis Academic provides full-text access to nearly 6,000 information resources including newspapers, news magazines, wire services, and transcripts of major radio and TV broadcasts. Tools Available: Help with searching and finding sources is available.

MarketLine Business Information Center -

Coverage: 2 year news archive and the most recent 12 months for reports. International coverage. Brief Description: Original industry and company reports based on published research and primary and secondary data sources. (Previously known as Datamonitor.) Tools Available: MarketLine Help and FAQs provide guidance on how to use the MarketLine effectively.

Mergent Online -

Coverage: Up to 15 years of company financial statements and other financial data on US and international companies Brief Description: Updated weekly, Mergent Online's U.S. Company Data and International Company Data (formerly available in part as Moody's Company Data) provides business and financial data on more than 15,000 U.S. public and 20,000 non-U.S. companies. Other IPFW Formats: IPFW library owns the printed Moody's Industrial Manual 1964 to present (Reference HG 4961 .M67) and Moody's International Manual 1986 to present (Reference HG 4009 .M66).

Passport Markets -

Coverage: Varies Brief Description: International coverage of consumers, companies and industries including statistics, market reports, and lifestyle reports. Tools Available: Use Help screens within database. Tutorial for finding economic indicators.

STAT-USA / Internet -

Brief Description: A compilation of U.S. business, economic, and trade information from the U.S. Government. Tools Available: A list of selected publications indexed is available. A brief help guide is available, along with a guide to information available on the site.

A Basic Guide to Exporting

United States Department of Commerce's primer for companies exploring the possibilities of exporting products.

Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish. By Joseph J. Keenan. University of Texas Press, 1994. (Stacks PC4121 .K38 1994)

This brilliant, witty, and wise language guidebook (really a superb example of the ethnography of speaking) is written by a journalist with many years of experience covering Mexico City. You'll want to own a copy if you're serious about learning to speak fluent Spanish and "avoid being taken for a gringo." Find more books like this using this search strategy:

spanish language and (conversation or phrase books).

Corn is Our Blood: Culture and Ethnic Identity in a Contemporary Aztec Indian Village. By Alan R. Sandstrom. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. (Stacks F1221.N3 S258 1991)

One of the only village-level anthropological studies available on indigenous Mexico. See especially Chapter 1, "Entering the Field," Chapter 5,"Amatlán Household Economic and Production Activities," and Chapter 7, "Ethnic Identity and Culture Change." Find more books like this using this search strategy:

mexico and (ethnic identity or religion or social life or customs or case studies).

How to Do Business in Mexico: Your Essential and Up-to-Date Guide for Success. By Glenn Reed and Roger Gray. 1st ed. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997. (Stacks HF 3237.R44 1997)

A practical handbook on developing business relations with Mexican counterparts, including demographics, etiquette, gaining access to key people, dealing with government agencies, shipping and distribution regulations, communications, and other topics. Find more books like this using this search strategy:

mexico and (commerce or description or travel) and handbooks.

Sons of the Shaking Earth. By Eric R. Wolf. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Stacks F1210 .W6)

A classic cultural history of ancient and modern Mexico and Guatemala by one of the foremost authorities on Mesoamerica.

The key to finding government information is to think about the department or agency that collects and disseminates the data. Use the links below to search for information related Mexico.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

• World Factbook uses a standardized format that adds value to this review of national facts.

Library of Congress

• Country Studies offers an in depth overview of political, economic, demographic, and social information.
• Portal to the World information and links to electronic resources recommended by Library of Congress librarians. 

U.S. Department of Commerce

• U.S. Commercial Service provides information for importers and exporters for all U.S. trading partners.
• Market Research Library contains more than 100,000 industry and country-specific market reports.
• Export.Gov brings together resources from across the U.S. Government to assist American businesses.
• U.S. Census Bureau
• International Statistical Agencies provides links to statistical agencies in other countries.
• U.S. International Trade Statistics offers Country/Product Trade Data to find value of exports to other  countries. Annual data is organized by 6-digit NAICS code and countries.

U.S. Department of State

• International Travel Information covers conditions abroad that ma affect safety and security.
• Consular Information Sheets
• Country Background Notes

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Center for Disease Control: Travelers' Health provides general health information as well as country specific advice.

The Web sites of international organizations, national governments, non-government organizations, and trade and professional associations can all be sources of valuable information. The following Web portals are collections of links to such sites. The sites presented were carefully selected by educators for the usefulness and authority of the information they provide.  You are still the ultimate judge of information you select. Use the suggestions on the library guide Is Your Web Site Credible? to verify any information you find on the Web.

Everything International

Compiled by Dr. Lloyd C. Russow, Philadelphia University this international business portal provides links to a wide variety of international business, education, and research internet sites selected for being reliable, current, and free-of-charge or relatively inexpensive. Ten main lists with logical sub-divisions make this a useful, easy-to-use resource.

globalEDGE

Created at Michigan State University, this Web portal connects to information, insights, and learning resources on global business activities. Partially funded by the U.S. Department of Education,  globalEDGE^TM contains more than 5,000 online resources, information on all countries,  in-depth analysis of selected industries, the news on issues in international business, and extensive research and teaching resources.

Green Boxes:

Indiana University Bloomington government information librarians compile and maintain this list of government publications from all countries.

VIBES

Virtual International Business & Economic Sources (VIBES), a Web portal maintained by librarians at University of North Carolina. 3,000 online resources selected and arranged by country as well as by region and topic.