| By: | Daniel
F. Ring Assistant Professor |
Phone: (248)
370-2498 E-mail: ring@oakland.edu |
Statistics are fundamental information resources in the world of business. This is a guide to some of the more important sources for statistical data here in the Library.
For information about individual companies, please consult
the guide entitled "Companies."
GUIDES AND INDEXES
American Statistics Index. (Ref. HA 202 .A35)
A "comprehensive guide and index to the statistical publications of the U.S. government. Statistical material indexed in this source is available in the ASI microfiche collection or in Government Documents. Canceled after 1999.
Statistics Sources. (Ref. HA 36 .A1 S84)
Alphabetically arranged by subject. Each subject cites where statistics can be found. Cites both publications and organizations, government agencies, trade and professional groups.
Reference Materials and Periodicals in Economics. (Ref. HB 75 .A1 F83)
Volume 1, Agriculture; volume 4, Manufacturing. Volume 4 covers the automotive; chemical; iron and steel; and petroleum and gas industries. Each industry has a section 4 which includes statistical works.
PERIODICAL INDEXES
Proquest/ABI Inform
Searches 1000 leading business journals.WilsonBusiness
Searches 600 leading business journals,1986-Lexis-Nexis
Company news and financial information, full text.EconLit
Indexes scholarly articles in economics.Business Source Premier
Full text scholarly articles.Management and Organization Studies: A Sage Full-Text Text Collection
Indexes business, human resources, marketing, public administration, management and organization studies.
UNITED STATES STATISTICS--GENERAL
Statistical Abstract of the United States. (Ref. HA 202 .S7 and Gov. Docs.; Current ed. kept at Ref. Desk and in Gov't. Doc. Ref. area). Searchable online: Statistical Abstract of the United States. See also Stat-USA which identifies business and trade statistics and FedStats which identifies statistical information by agency. Statistical Abstracts is an annual one-volume basic statistical source book, especially useful for someone not familiar with a specialized source. Gives summary industrial and economic statistics indexed by subject at the back of the book. At the foot of each table is a source note, so it also serves as a guide to further information.
Business Statistics. (Gov. Doc. C 59.11/3:date)
Provides a description of some 2,600 statistical series reported in the monthly Survey of Current Business and acts as a historical record, giving monthly and annual data for the prior 4 years. Issued by U.S. Dept. of Commerce (biennial). Volume 2 covers the automotive; chemical; iron and steel; and petroleum and gas industries. Section 4 includes statistical works.
Statistical Service. (Ref. HC 101 .S75)
Issued by Standard and Poor's this is an extensive compilation of current statistical information covering banking, finance, stock market, commodities, income, trade, production, labor, etc.
Irwin Business and Investment Almanac. (Ref. HF 5003 .D682; 1978-1996)
Handy source of information on business, economics and investment. Statistical tables on industry, stock market, employment, productivity, wages, finance are included.
Economic Report of the President. (Ref. HC 106.5 .A272)
Transmitted to the Congress in February (each year), together with the Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisors. The main part of the latter offers a review of the nation's economic condition, documented by statistics. Latest edition kept at the Circulation Desk. Also available online Economic Report of the President.
Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970. (Govt. Docs. C3. 134/2: 62/789-970) Supplement to the Statistical Abstract. Provides historical overview of U.S. statistics in a variety of areas, social, economic, political and industrial.
U.S. Industrial Outlook. (1989-1994 in Ref. Collection, Ref. HC 101 .U54; earlier editions in Gov. Docs. C 62.17: and C 61.34:) Annual. A convenient source of information on industrial trends and the short-term (about 5 years) outlook. Some text, with statistics for supply and demand, employment, investment, domestic, and foreign markets, and price changes for about 200 industrial groups. Note: For 1998-2000, the title changed to U. S. Industry and Trade Outlook (Ref. HC 101.U55). Publication ceased in 2000 with U.S. Global Trade Outlook, 1995/2000, (Doc. C61.34/2:).
CRB Commodity Year Book. (Ref. HF 1041 .C56) Information including statistical data for about one hundred basic raw commodities and semi-finished products - production, prices, stocks, imports and exports. Annual.
North American Industry Classification System. Also available in print version. (Ref. HF 1042 .N6 1997) Replaces the old SIC manual.
UNITED STATES STATISTICS--CENSUS INFORMATION
UNITED STATES--MONTHLY GOVERNMENT SOURCESThe Bureau of the Census is the country's largest publisher of statistical data. Its Catalog (Doc. C 3.163/3:) lists all Census publications. Some of the more important series are the Census of Population and Housing, Census of Service Industries, Census of Retail Trade, County Business Patterns, and Census of Wholesale Trade. All of the library's census materials are available in Government Documents. See also the census bureau's home page U.S. Census Bureau.
The Census of Manufacturers is perhaps used by business more often than the others. This census is taken every five years and reports on manufacturing industries in each state, giving value of shipments, assets, inventories, employment, payrolls, number of establishments, etc.
Between each census, an Annual Survey of Manufactures is issued, giving statistics for broad industrial groups and selected manufactured goods. Now available online, Annual Survey of Manufactures. The Bureau also publishes a series of Current Industrial Reports on several thousand products, with tables on shipments, inventories, trade, and production.
The Census of Population and Housing is a valuable source of demographic information, useful for marketing research, urban planning, industrial development. It is updated by a series entitled Current Population Reports.
UNITED STATES--CONSUMER
Business Conditions Digest. (Fourth Floor; Per. HC 101 .A12; 1969-90)
Issued by U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Emphasis on the cyclical indicators approach to the analysis of business conditions and prospects. Indexed in Index to U.S. Government Periodicals (Ref. J 83 .I5, 1970-1987). Available online for years 1968-87.
Economic Indicators. (Govt. Docs. Y 4.Ec7:Ec7 date)
Issued by the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors. Statistical tables and graphs of basic U.S. economic indicators including prices, income, employment, and wages.
Also available online from 1995-- Economic IndicatorsFederal Reserve Bulletin. (Fourth Floor; Per. HG 2401 .A5)
Issued by the U.S. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. A source for current U.S. banking and monetary statistics, including international trade, foreign liabilities, and foreign exchange rates. Indexed in Index to U.S. Government Periodicals (Ref. J 83 .I5).
Monthly Labor Review. (Fourth Floor; Per. HD 8051 .A78)
Good source for current labor statistics including labor-management data, employment and unemployment, productivity, and consumer and producer prices. Indexed in Index to U.S. Government Periodicals (Ref. J 83 .I5), 1970-1987 and in ABI-INFORM with full-text available from 1918 through current.
Survey of Current Business. (Fourth Floor; Per. HC 101 .A13)
Descriptive and statistical material on basic U.S. income and trade developments. Updates the biennial Business Statistics. Covers 2,500 statistical series. Indexed in Index to U.S. Government Periodicals (Ref. J 83 .I5) 1970-1987 and in InfoTrac OneFile and ABI-INFORM, 1983 through current with full-text available.
The Official Guide to Household Spending. ( Ref. HC 110 .C6 .A666)
The title explains it all: who--age, region, marital status--spends how much on what. Companion titles are Who's Buying for the Home (Ref. HC 110.C6 .W46 1996); The Official Guide to American Incomes (Ref. HC 110 .I5 .R87 1993); The Official Guide to the Generations (Ref. HC 110 .C6 M545 1995); The Official Guide to the American Marketplace (Ref. HA 214 .A6 1995); The Baby Boom: Americans Aged 35 to 54 (Ref. HN 60 .R877 1999) and Generation X: American Aged 18-34 (Ref. HC 110 .C6 M544 2001).American Cost of Living Survey. (Ref. HD 6983 .A67 1994)
This book will tell you how much a six pack of Bud costs in a certain area. The companion volume is World Cost of Living Survey (Ref. HD 6978 .W65 1997).The Value of a Dollar: Colonial Era to the Civil War. (Ref. HB 235 .U6 D47 2005 )
The Value of a Dollar:Prices and Incomes in the United States 1860-2004 (Ref HB 235 .U6 V35 2004 )Statistical Handbook on Consumption and Wealth in the United States. Ref. HC 110 .C6 S73 1999)
FOREIGN STATISTICS
FOREIGN TRADE STATISTICSThis section concentrates on key international publications that cover economic statistics. Not listed here are individual country yearbooks, e.g., Japan Statistical Yearbook, Pakistan Year Book, which usually include abundant economic statistical data. To find this type of reference book, look it up in the subject catalog under the name of the country, followed by the subdivision "Statistics," e.g., "Japan Statistics," or the subdivision "Yearbooks," e.g., South Africa Yearbooks." See also the OECD Economic Surveys (Ref. HC 265.5 for Europe; Ref. HC 461 .A1, Japan; Ref. HC 663 .O7 for Australia and New Zealand).
Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook. (Ref. HF 1014 .I51)
Arranged in two parts: Part 1 contains figures; Part 2 contains world totals for balance of payments components and aggregates.
Demographic Yearbook. (Ref. HA 17 .D45)
United Nations publication giving detailed information on population, births, deaths, marriage, divorce rates for approx. 250 countries.
Economic Handbook of the World. (Ref. HC 10 .E375 1982)
Alphabetically arranged by country plus international organization. A typical chapter includes statistical and narrative information covering structure of the economy; domestic trends; foreign trade and investments; future directions.
Economic Statistics, 1900-1983. (Ref. HC 106 .L68 1985)
Includes statistics for the United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Provides 16 tables for each country covering gross domestic product, output by industry, consumer expenditures, etc.Economic Survey of Europe. (Ref. HC 240 .A1 U477)
Includes narrative and tables on agriculture, industry, investment, consumer income and supplies and international trade.
Economic Survey of Latin America. (Ref. HC 161 .U525; 1956-1978)
Includes narrative and tables on each country plus surveys of several aspects of the Latin American Economy.
Europa Year Book. (Ref. JN 1 .E85)
A two-volume international reference book (not limited to Europe), that includes a statistical survey of each country's employment, agriculture, forestry, finance, trade, transport and industry (annual).
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook. (Ref. HJ 101 .G68)
Provides data on revenue, grants, expenditure, banking, financing and debt of central governments.
Interest Rates 1960-1974. (Ref. HB 549 .O6 O64 1976)
Includes the interest rates recorded every month for OECD member countries.
International Financial Statistics. (Ref. HC 3881 .I626; 1964-98, 2005--)
For each IMF member, gives statistical data on world trade, money and banking, government finance and other items. Tables with area and world aggregates are included. Monthly. See also International Financial Statistics Yearbook (Ref. HG 3881 .I627) .
International Historical Statistics: Europe 1759-1988. (Ref. HA 1107 .M5 1992)
A wide range of statistical data derived from various sources. Especially useful because it takes variously defined annual figures and puts them into comparable time series.
Main Economic Indicators. (Ref. HC 10 .068; also available online, 1998-current through FirstSearch ECO)
A guide to recent economic activity in the OECD countries, shown through tables of indicators that include national accounts, prices, production and foreign trade. (monthly) See also Main Economic Indicators: Historical Statistics, (Ref. HC 10 .0672).
OECD Economic Outlook. (Ref. HC 10 .063; 1989-current also available online through InfoTrac OneFile)
Provides a "periodic assessment of economic trends and prospects in OECD countries." Appears twice a year. Includes "Domestic and International Developments," "Developments in included countries" and "Technical Annual."
Statistical Abstract of Latin America. (Ref. HA 935 .S8; 1961-2002)
Summarizes the available statistics concerning the socio-economic and political condition of the 20 Latin American countries. Time series are given. The book also acts as a guide to additional data. (annual).
Statistical Yearbook. (Ref. HA 12.5 .U63)
Issued annually by the United Nations. A standard reference book for statistics on UN member nations. Includes statistics on agriculture, finance, trade, manufacturing and mining, along with non-economic data. Current figures are given in the U.N.'s Monthly Bulletin of Statistics (Ref. HC 57 .U66).
Statistical Yearbook for Latin America. (Ref. HA 751 .U52; 1973-1984)
Includes tables on economic growth; domestic prices; capital formation and financing; external trade; external financing; national accounts, balance of payments and social statistics.
World Business Cycles. (Ref. HC 59 .W632 1982)
Provides a "broad look at world business cycles, and includes detailed information for 84 countries on gross domestic product and other series of interest, where available, during the period 1950-1980; also for 34 commodities. . . . Also included is a long-term view of gross domestic product. . . for the U.K. and U.S. during the period from the 1850s to 1980."
World Economic Survey. (Ref. HC 59 .A169)
Annual. Provides a review of world economic conditions and trends.
World Tables. (Ref. HC 59 .W67; 1984, 1988/89, 1992)
"Presents time series for a number of basic economic variables for each country, and for countries and country groups it presents derived economic indicators. . . and demographic and social data. . . ."Yearbook of Labour Statistics. (Ref. HD 4826 .I63; 1961-1998)
Summarizes labor statistics for 180 countries. Data covers the last 10 years.
Yearbook of National Accounts Statistics. (Ref. HC 79 .I5 U53 through U56)
Offers comprehensive statistical information about the economic activity of 134 countries and territories.
INTERNET SOURCES
Direction of Trade Statistics. (Ref. HF 91 .D57)
Provides data on countries' exports and imports. Published monthly. See also Direction of Trade Annual (Ref. HF 91 .D572).
Monthly Statistics of International Trade. (Ref. HF 91 .065)
Yearbook of International Trade Statistics. (Ref. HF 91 .U473)
Volume 1 lists, by member country, commodity import and export figures. Volume 2 lists trading activity by commodity. United Nations (annual).
Foreign Trade Statistics. Also called U.S. Trade Online.
Export.gov The U.S. Government's Export Portal will help you:
Learn how to export in our Export Basics section
Locate Market Research , Trade Leads , and Trade Events
Meta SitesYahoo's Statistics and Indicators
Has three main headings: economics, labor and trade .
Here are three meta sites by which all others are to be judged and found wanting:
Statistical Resources on the Web: Business and Industry
Statistical Resources on the Web: Foreign Trade
If you don't find it here, it doesn't exist. There is also a
Statistical Resources on the Web,
which goes far beyond economics and business.Use all of them; they provide Internet access to every category discussed above.
Resources
Internet Public Library's Statistics
Emphasis is on economic, labor and trade statistics. Pay attention to Statistical Resources on the Web and Statistical Sites on the Web.
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