Mining the Web for Business Intelligence and Tools

1
Mining the Web for Business Intelligence and Tools

• Barbie E. Keiser
• Business Information Conference
• Grand Hotel Sofia, Bulgaria
• November 8, 2007

2
What we will do today

• Provide a framework for identifying what business
  information is needed
• Why look for what
• Classes of resources to tap
• Importance of locator and monitoring tools
• Review what information is available
• Demonstrate techniques
• Tips to improve your research capabilities

3
Three questions you should ask

• Where should I go first?
• Where is what I want most likely to be?
• Who has done this already?

4
Business information or business intelligence?

• Information continuum
• Levels of business intelligence
• Be aware, open, and objective
• Think globally, act locally

5
Objectives for any business intelligence program

• Improve your ability to recognize changes that
  are occurring in the environment
• Improve monitoring efforts
• Deepen your knowledge
• Anticipate activities

• Be aware of shifts in focus or emphasis
• Interpret clarify
• Determine trends and interrelationships
• Provide insight and understanding

6
Whats required for success

• An organized approach
• Keeping up with the industry
• Knowledge of sources available, source
  availability options/access requirements
• Innovative research strategies
• Use of secondary sources that lead to primary
• Authentication of quality content and
  reputability of authorship

• Negotiation skills (licensing)
• A network of people, drawing on individuals
  skills
• Organization of information from the users point
  of view
• Distinguishing information ownership from
  management responsibility
• Focused on the needs of the client
• Ability to manage expectations

7
Research associated with BI can be complex

• Topics may be targeted or broad
• Often time-sensitive
• Involving a combination of environmental scanning
  and monitoring
• Requiring attention to detail and innovative
  research strategies, with knowledge of/access to
  a wide range of resources, both primary and
  secondary

8
Cultivating information expertise

• Determine the intelligence requirements
• Understand what information is available (and
  what is not)
• Highlight the best
• Educate others manage expectations
• Present business intelligence designed to
  initiate ACTION

9
Understanding client needs

• What the client does
• Where information plays a role
• What type of information
• Ongoing interest vs. ad-hoc request

• Which sources and tools
• Personal preferences
• Level of detail
• Modes of delivery
• Frequency/timing of delivery
• Importance of a stream of information
  (particularly for discerning trends)

10
The payoff

• Delivery of more timely, more accurate, more
  focused information to those who can make the
  best use of it
• Better decision-making capabilities
• Reduced information source redundancy and minimal
  duplication of effort
• Savings in time, money and effort

11
Developing information literacy skills

• Keeping in mind the information environment
• Reapply successful strategies to new environments
• Gaining expertise in special features of
  frequently used sources
• Keeping up with changes

• Helping others think critically
• Distance often offers perspective
• Deconstruct a common resource
• Avoid your jargon use language that your clients
  utilize/understand

12
Broad research strategies

• Pay attention to extensions
• Drilling down, looking sideways, chaining
  forward, zooming, and back-linking
• Identifying patterns
• Mining data

• Best/exemplary practices
• Monitoring
• Business resources
• Specific topics
• Stream of information
• Noting connections between individuals
• Formal and informal social networks

13
Put tiles in a mosaic

• Collect pieces of information then try to fit
  them into a pattern
• Either discard all the outliers OR discard
  everything except the outliers

14
Mosaic presentation of business book sales
15
Mosaics also can be effective for individual
company analysis
16
Chain your links

• Combines mosaic concept with citation searching
  ideas
• Chain both forward and back
• Look for patterns of repetition (e.g.,
  co-citation in scientific and technical
  literature)

• Link analysis tools
• Fagan Finder URLInfo
• List All Links (http//www.bookmarklets.com/tools/
  data/index.phtml)
• Live.coms link and link domain commands
• To find pages that link to the UKeiGs training
  and meetings page you would type in
  linkwww.ukeig.org.uk/training/
• To find pages that link to anywhere on the UKeiG
  web site you would type in linkdomainwww.ukeig.
  org.uk

17
Zooming

• Who needs to know
• Trade and professional associations
• Industry observers
• Legislators and Regulators
• Other government agencies
• Industry advocates and lobbyists
• Consultants
• Allied industries

• Who wants to know
• Consumer groups/ sites
• Advocacy and watch dog groups
• Public policy makers
• Media

18
People connections

• Six Degrees of Separation (Small World Theory)
• Parallel backgrounding (e.g., old school ties)
• Uncover business connections
• Directors and boards
• Big fish in little pond (e.g., little-guy news
  coverage)

19
Resume and job databases

• Provide information about a companys present
  and former employees
• Help wanted ads inform about the type of person
  being sought or being hired

20
Monitoring strategies

• Changes in strategically significant websites
• Postings to corporate blogs
• Disenchanted employees
• Trade shows and professional meetings
• Exhibitors and presenters
• Conference proceedings
• Clipping services and alerts
• Corporate reputation monitors

• Basic info freshness
• Alexa Compete toolbar downloads for your
  browser
• Bookmarklets
• Web change notification
• ChangeDetection (http//www.changedetection.com/mo
  nitor.html)
• ChangeDetect
• WebSite-Watcher (http//www.aignes.com)
• TrackEngine
• Watch360
• Trackle
• iMorph had 30-day free trial (http//www.infominde
  r.com/webminder/index.jsp)
• Karnak has a premium (fee-based) service

21
Stalking international and government agencies

• Grey literature is still plentiful
• Published ? Public Information
• Not everything is on the Web
• Take the time to develop contacts
• Government tenders/contract awards/contract
  disputes
• Monitoring the development of legislation or
  regulations brings out all the players

22
Global business data collection issues
Publishers/vendors

• Reliability
• Ease of use/flexibility
• Documentation and support
• Time and scope

23
Fee-based resources vs. free via the WWW

• Structured (fielded) data
• Special features (tables, lists, rankings,
  multicompany, case studies, forecasts)
• Historical framework
• Trend analysis
• Future-oriented (projections)

• Contact with sources
• Time-sensitive activities
• Flexibility
• Situation-specific
• May be worth the in terms of
• Time spent
• Frustration levels
• Advanced search capabilities
• Ease of manipulating data
• Ability to download
• Permission to share with others

24
Local approaches

• State, provincial, and municipal organizations
• Local newspapers online and offline
• Public (and academic) libraries
• Chambers of commerce and civic associations
• Other local and regional business organizations
• Alternative strategy Third country sourcing

25
When considering new tools

• Diverse types
• Complementary (back-ups)
• Perils of an Internet start-up ()
• Why the good ones get acquired (and what happens
  afterwards)
• Finding aids and monitoring tools
• Whats right for you

• Why - Objectives
• What - Key indicators
• Where - Sources
• When - Frequency
• Who - Skills
• How - Level of automation vs. Human
  Intelligence (HI)

26
The Internet

• Changes
• How information enters the public domain (and how
  quickly)
• How information is distributed (and how quickly)
• What decisions need to be made regarding the
  acceptance of information
• What actions need to be taken by the recipient

• Helps in terms of
• Access to (global) information resources
• Timeliness of data/updates
• Economics

27
Changing your mindset

• Dont just look for electronic versions of print
  publications
• Demand added-value from each site
• Be aware of who is responding to questions

28
When should you use online (electronic) resources?

• Screening on specific criteria
• Dealing with an unfamiliar industry
• Tracking a changing environment

29
Types of sources

• By type of information
• Statistical (numeric)
• Compustat (http//tinyurl.com/ysol7t)
• Directory
• Textual (abstract or full keyword searchable)
• Industry, company, product

• By format of data
• Reference
• Source
• Encyclopedia of American Industries
  (http//www.referenceforbusiness.com/)

30
Use online databases to

• Track competitors
• Research people in the news
• Confirm rumors
• Look for new product announcements
• Track financial information

• Analyze acquisition candidates
• Identify prospects
• Monitor coverage of your company
• Follow investments
• Review suppliers and customers

31
Information gatherers responsibility

• Subject expertise
• Knowledge of sources
• Judgment
• Willingness to outsource
• Provide feedback
• Network

32
Essential tool sets for any information
professional

• Locators
• Harvesters
• Alerts
• Organizers/managers
• Analysis
• Dissemination/delivery

33
What locator tools do you know/use?

• Indexed search services
• General (http//www.bruceclay.com/serc_histogram/h
  istogram.htm)
• Subject-specific (CompletePlanet.com)
• Exalead
• Vertical search (LookSmart.com)
• Visualization tools
• Subject directories
• http//dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/
• Google (http//directory.google.com/Top/Business/
  vs. http//news.google.com/?nedustopicb)
• Galaxy Business Finance (http//www.galaxy.com/d
  irectory/44/)
• http//www.01webdirectory.com/
• Dmoz Business (http//www.dmoz.org/Business/)
• Starting Point (http//www.stpt.com)

• Region country-specific
• Meta-search engines
• Image handling
• Voice (audio) and video (pods and vods)
• Ditto.com
• AlltheWeb.com
• AltaVista.com
• WebSeek (http//persia.ee.columbia.edu8008/)
• Amazing Picture Machine (http//www.ncrtec.org/pic
  ture.htm)
• Web Places Clip Art Searcher (http//www.webplaces
  .com/search)
• FindSounds.com
• Finding and searching new technologies

34
Search engine tips and caveats

• Tips
• Subject-specificity
• Adding features all the time
• Testing for change
• Top 100 alternative search engines
  (http//www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_100_alte
  rnative_search_engines_feb07.php)
• About.com Search Engines (http//websearch.about.c
  om/library/tableofcontents/blsearchenginetableofco
  ntents.htm)

• Caveats
• Some are better than others
• Size isnt everything
• The freshness test
• Handling frames
• Dynamically-generated page search capability
• Relevancy links
• Subject specificity
• Adding features all the time

35
Non-US search engines

• Use names you know for different countries
• Use search engines covering multiple countries
• Try multi-lingual searching
• Try search engines you dont know that specialize
  in a specific country
• Know how to find region and country-specific
  search engines

36
Translation plus

• Browser prompt to install character sets
• Fonts in Cyberspace (http//www.sil.org/computing/
  fonts/)
• Industry- and country-specific resources
• Human intervention
• Technical translations
• Glossaries
• Software
• Free online translator services
• Business-related
• Quotes online (http//www.worldlingo.com)
• Travel-related
• Learning languages
• Verbix
• Web tools
• Links to other resources
• Limited options (http//www.wordreference.com)
• Free Translation Tools (http//www.masternewmedia.
  org/2001/11/29/free_translation_tools_and_online_s
  ervices.htm)

• Google search (http//www.google.com/language_tool
  s?hlen)
• Babelfish (http//world.altavista.com/) from
  AltaVista (http//babelfish.altavista.com/translat
  e.dyn)
• Babelplex
• AllWords (http//www.allwords.com/34wlinks.php)
• Dictionary.com Translate (http//dictionary.refe
  rence.com/translate/text.html)
• Fagan Finder Translator Wizard (http//www.faganfi
  nder.com/translate/)
• Foreignword.com
• Free online translator service (http//www.prospec
  tor.cz/Services/Translation/)
• Freetranslation.com
• OneLook Dictionaries (http//www.onelook.com)
• Systran Language Translation (http//www.systranso
  ft.com/)
• Yourdictionary.com
• Portuguese Translations (http//www.sourcetranslat
  ions.com/)

37
Why use a Meta-Search engine?

• Address unknown
• Ability to enter search string only once
• Speed
• De-duping of results

38
What to look for in a metasearch engine

• Simple and advanced search capabilities
• Number of matches reported from each search
  engine
• Integration
• De-duping of results
• Ranking
• Interesting design
• Good response time
• Wide choice of search engines used
• More like this feature

39
Meta-Searchers

• Beaucoup (look at corporate websites)
• Dogpile
• Mamma
• Search.com for Reference and Directory on
  homepage
• Metacrawler (http//www.go2net.com)
• OneSeek
• Metafind is now InfoSpace (Yellow and White
  pages)
• All4one
• CrossEngine
• IcySpicy
• Chubba

• Jux2
• Seekz
• Widow Metasearch (http//www.widow.com/crawl/metas
  earch.cgi)
• Ixquick (http//www.us.ixquick.com/)
• ZWorks
• Freeality
• FinderSeeker
• SuperSeek.org
• Trovando (http//www.trovando.it/)
• All One Search Academic Research
  (http//www.allonesearch.com/Academic-Research.htm
  )

40
Need help choosing a search engine?

• http//www.search-engines-2.com/
• Best of the Bots (http//www.botspot.com)
• Search Engine Land
• Search Engine Watch
• Search Engine Watch Forums (http//forums.searchen
  ginewatch.com/index.php)
• SearchDay
• Search Engine Showdown
• Search Engine Lowdown
• Pandia Search Engine News (http//www.pandia.com/s
  ew/index.php)
• Gregg Notess (http//www.notess.com/)
• Phil Bradley Lots of Search Engines
  (http//www.philb.com/engines.htm)
• Comparing major search engines (http//www.philb.c
  om/compare.htm)
• Karen Blakemans Search Strategies for the
  Internet (http//www.rba.co.uk/search/compare.shtm
  l)
• The Spiders Apprentice (http//www.monash.com/spi
  dap.html)
• VirtualSalt (http//www.virtualsalt.com/search.htm
  )
• iTools

• NoodleTools (http//www.noodletools.com/debbie/lit
  eracies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html)
• Best Search Tools Chart (http//infopeople.org/sea
  rch/chart.html)
• Search Engine Relationship Chart
  (http//www.bruceclay.com/searchenginerelationship
  chart.htm)
• LLRX Search Engine Comparison Chart 2004
  (http//www.llrx.com/features/searchenginechart.ht
  m)
• Web Search Guide Comparison Charts
  (http//www.websearchguide.ca/research/compfram.ht
  m)
• Web searching tools (http//library.curtin.edu.au/
  web/index.html)
• Business-to-Business (http//geniusfind.com/Busine
  ss_to_Business.htm)
• Search Engines (http//searchenginez.com/)
• ALA Tolkit (http//www.lita.org/ala/lita/litaresou
  rces/toolkitforexpert/toolkitexpert.htm)
• WebSerch (http//www.clubi.ie/webserch/)
• Searching Google Effectively (http//www.google.co
  m/librariancenter/downloads/Tips_Tricks_85x11.pdf)
  

41
The Web tools for social networking

• One-to-one becomes one-to-many
• As an information vehicle
• A marketing tool
• A disinformation tool
• Tool for socializing
• Usenet, group emails, bulletin boards, discussion
  groups, listservs, Weblogs
• Opportunity to network with those of a like mind
  and interest

• An array of tools to support
• Building communities
• Sharing knowledge
• Watching who is interested in what (publishes
  what)
• Handling inquiries
• Progression towards communities
• Web sites, portals, vortals
• Blogs, wikis, zines
• Intranets, KM, CoPs

42
Discussion groups Lurking using

• Using online discussion groups
• Tools for monitoring ( more)
• Six degrees of separation
• Relationship management tools
• Discussion groups
• Subject-specific list sites

• Building your online community (http//www.smartst
  reet.org/login.asp)
• Online community of friends (http//www.orkut.com)
  
• Dating community (http//www.linkedin.com)
• Former employees Where are they now?
• Eliyon is now ZoomInfo.com

43
Finding and searching newer technologies

• Blogdigger
• Blog list (http//www.blogcatalog.com/directory)
  to browse by country or language
• OpinMind
• PreFound
• Search4rss
• MediaChannel
• Technorati
• Syndic8
• Sphere

• US government RSS feeds (http//www.usa.gov/Topics
  /Reference_Shelf/Libraries/RSS_Library.shtml)
• Business Blog (http//www.library.ohiou.edu/subjec
  ts/businessblog/)
• Business Blog Consulting (http//www.businessblogc
  onsulting.com/)
• Alacra Blog (http//www.alacrablog.com/)
• Self Investing (http//investing.typepad.com/tradi
  ngstocks/)

44
Podcasts

• Odeo
• Podfeed.net
• Podcasting Station (http//www.podcasting-station.
  com/categories.php)
• Podcast Directory
• Digital Podcast
• Podscope
• Podanza
• Business Podcasting Directory (http//www.podcasti
  ngnews.com/forum/link_10.htm)
• Podcast.net (http//www.podcast.net/cat/1)

• Podzinger is now Everyzing
• Feedster (http//podcasts.feedster.com)
• Podcast Pup
• Every Podcast
• SpeakWire
• Podcasts.Yahoo.com
• Blabline
• Blinkx (video)
• Casting Words

45
Threads are not enough

• Interconnectedness of Weblogs, bulletin boards,
  and chats
• Repetitious information when blogs use similar
  feeds
• Strength of moderators/facilitators
• Activity of blog
• Timeliness of chat
• Watch who comments on what

• Blogspace needs more
• Explicit mechanisms of clustering and group
  formation
• Indexing and advanced classification
• Easy shift from headlines to abstract to first
  para to KWIC
• Hyperlinking to full-text

46
Add-ins that can help

• WebWhacker (http//www.bluesquirrel.com)
• Copernic
• WebFerret by FerretSoft
• Tool bars - Google, Yahoo, Ask, metaEUREKA,
  Search, Exalead
• Alert systems
• Google Alerts (http//www.googlealert.com)

47
Keeping up with it all

• Locator tools
• Internet Scout Report NSDL (http//scout.cs.wisc
  .edu)
• Freepint (http//www.freepint.com)
• Internet Resources Newsletter (http//www.hw.ac.uk
  /libWWW/irn/irn.html)
• Librarians Index to the Internet
  (http//www.lii.org)
• BUBL (http//www.bubl.ac.uk/)
• AcademicIndex (http//www.academicindex.net/tools.
  html)
• ResearchBuzz.org
• Infotogo.com
• CyberSkeptics Guide - (http//www.cyberskeptic.
  com/cs)

• Malls gateways
• Academic Info Business Administration
  (http//www.academicinfo.net/bus.html)
• Resource Discovery Network for Business Studies
  (http//www.vts.intute.ac.uk/tutorial/bus)
• Intute Business and Management Information
  Gateway (http//www.vts.intute.ac.uk/socialscience
  s/business/)
• Internet Business Manager (http//www.vts.intute.a
  c.uk/he/tutorial/busman)
• Colleagues as a resource
• BusLib-L
• http//businesslibrarians.ning.com/
• http//www.bizrefdesk.blogspot.com/
• Digest mode
• Vendors as a resource
• LexisNexis InfoPro
• Gales Digital Reference Shelf
• Dialog Alerts
• Factiva Track Module
• OneSource Business Browser Watch List

48
Traditional clipping services are improving with
age

• Personalization mass customization
• Globalization media diversification
• Web-based search tools technology
• On the Web
• Via the Web
• The Invisible Web
• CloserLook (http//www.bizinfofinder.com/indsearch
  /)
• Subject specificity
• Media-specific
• Limiting SEARCH to sites that have been vetted
  (Rollyo)
• Morphing to become much more
• Corporate reputation monitors

49
When choosing a news delivery service

• The type of information you need
• Cost limitations
• Presentation format
• Headlines (Headlineviewer.com)
• Summary
• First paragraph (with link to full-text)
• Full-text

• Delivery mechanism(s)
• Desktop vs. email
• Scrolling ticker (WorldFlash)
• Pop-up alerts (TriggerNews)
• Push vs. pull vs. cast
• Handhelds
• Personal or shared
• Clipping services
• Current awareness
• Reputation monitoring services
• http//www.pbs.org/mediashift/digging-deeper/

50
Whats old becomes new again

• Burrells Luce (http//www.burrellesluce.com/)
• QuickBrowse
• CyberAlert
• TracerLock
• Webclipping
• NewzCrawler
• Nexcerpt
• New Media Intelligence (http//www.parallel54.com)
  

• Monitor110
• Critical Mention
• VMS for news ads (http//www.vmsinfo.com/)
• Videora Clip Syndicate for video
• SearchforVideo.com/business
• Metro Monitor News (http//www.metromonitor.com/)
  
• Teleclip serves a local market in TX

51
New tools from old names

• PR Newswire
• eWatch
• Flat pricing
• Analyst review
• Access clips from a secure(?) homepage
• NewsPrompt and Newscom Search
• PRWeb press release distribution for small
  business
• Journalists
• Free syndication
• AP (InfoDesk) - http//www.idsk.com/
• Online subject catalog of sources
• UPI NewsTrack and Perspectives
• BBC Monitoring (http//www.monitor.bbc.co.uk/)
• Tribune (Yellowbrix FluentMedia) Content
  Solutions
• ClariNET is part of Yellowbrix
• Comtex Industry Updates News Solutions
  (http//www.comtexnews.net)

• NY Times News Tracker incorporated into
  TimesSelect (https//query.nytimes.com/mem/tntsell
  .html)
• AFP Direct (http//www.afp-direct.com/demo?qj)
• Lexis (http//www.lexisnexis.com/practiceareas/int
  ernational)
• Solcara InTheNews
• Moreover
• Blog Monitoring Tool (http//p.moreover.com/cgi-lo
  cal/page?klibrarianorss)
• NorthernLight
• MagPortal
• Esmerk
• GoogleAlert.com
• Yahoo! Small Business (http//dir.yahoo.com/busine
  ss_and_economy/business_to_business/corporate_serv
  ices/public_relations/clipping_and_monitoring_serv
  ices)

52
Web-based services

• Tracked searches
• NewsLibrary (http//nl.newsbank.com)
• Online news clipping
• CustomScoop
• Custom newsletters
• Inbox Robot

• Conversation Monitoring
• Converseon
• Topic blogs
• Intellnet (http//intellnet.org/topics)
• Journalists Toolbox (http//www.americanpressinst
  itute.org/pages/toolbox)

53
Why employ these tools

• Proliferation of Web sites
• Identify good sources that you didnt know before
• Convenience
• Personal options How the material is presented
  and delivered to you
• Sharing your personal news clips with others Is
  it legal and easy to do so?
• Redistribution rights and restrictions
• Security issues
• Integration with other tools used for analysis

54
Options that make reputation monitors different
from alerting services

• What they monitor (sources and media)
• How they monitor (and how often)
• How well they improve their monitoring efforts
• Search deliver functionality
• Flexibility
• Back-end support for further analysis

55
Accessing RSS feeds

• Find a business feed you like (look for the XML
  RSS orange square on your favorite site)
• Find an RSS feed reader you like
• Browser-based
• Web-based
• Subscribe to a feed that pushes new info into
  your reader so you can time shift

• Go direct (http//www.reuters.com/tools/rss)
• Find a list (http//jobfunctions.bnet.com/rsslist.
  aspx)

56
Tools for content integration management

• Personal content managers
• Snippy (http//www.researchagent.com/snippy/)
• SurfSaver
• Tinderbox (http//www.eastgate.com/Tinderbox/index
  .html)
• Spurl.net
• HTTrack
• ContentSaver

• Collecting, organizing, publishing, and sharing
  with ease
• Onfolio
• Traction Software
• firstRain
• Relegence FirstTrack (http//www.enow.com)
• InMagic Gatherer Profiler (http//www.inmagic.co
  m)
• Furl.net
• Principles of ECM (http//www.aiim.org)

57
Making sense of that which you retrieve

• Discover harvest using intelligent bots
• BrightPlanet
• Envisional
• Intelligent navigation
• Endeca
• InQuira
• Siderean
• Text extraction analytics
• Cymfony
• IBMs Webfountain

• Content mining
• Data, text, Web
• Netowl
• Email messages Privacy ownership issues
• Languistics
• Island Duck (for customer feedback)
• Google your email with Interwingle
  (http//zoe.nu)
• Googles Gmail (http//gmail.google.com)

58
Different technologies, approaches, purposes

• Data transformation
• Retrievalware text categorization (Convera)
• Intelligent tagging (ClearForest)
• CAI (nStein)
• Automated summarization
• SurfWax

• Decision support
• Knowledge.Works (http//www.cipher-sys.com)
• Predictive modeling scoring
• Intelligent Results

59
Visualization tools turn information into
intelligence

• Visualize Comprehend complexity in a glance
• A picture is worth a thousand words
• Scan, not read
• Connect the dots by displaying associations
• Data retrieved from multiple sources
• Associations among people, places, and things
• Events in the order in which they happened
• Explore, calculate, analyze, and reason
• Finding a needle in the haystack
• Uncovering unknown/hidden relationships
• Determine patterns and behavior
• Communicate (explain)
• The proof is in the pudding
• Share conclusions in an easy-to-understand visual
  format
• Make informed decisions

60
Goals of visualization

• Make large datasets coherent
• Present information from various viewpoints
• Present information at several levels of detail
• Support visual comparisons
• Tell stories about the data

61
Using visualization tools for knowledge
crystallization

• People are good at scanning, recognizing,
  remembering images
• Graphical elements facilitate comparisons
• Animation shows changes across time
• Color helps make distinctions
• Aesthetics make the process appealing
• Get past the coolness factor!

62
Tools by type

• Graphics tools
• Org chart relationships
• Citation clustering
• Concept maps
• Ontology generation
• Natural language queries
• More than 90 of what we deal with is noice
• Work is not sequential Ability to jump back in
  search strategy
• Entity extraction

63
Visualization tools

• Clusty
• WebBrain
• Grokker (http//www.groxis.com/service/grok/)
• Kartoo
• Touchgraph Google (http//www.touchgraph.com/TGGoo
  gleBrowser.html)

64
How are visualization tools being used by
business today?

• NASDAQ real-time visualization of stock market
  data
• Risk managers (fraud analysis anomalies among
  thousands of claims)
• Email
• GeoTime Events over time across geography
• Computer network alert systems
• Supply chain logistics
• Law enforcement
• Epidemiology analysis Avian flu
• Manufacturing processes (RFID)
• Social networks Who are the connector hubs?
• Emails
• http//www.smartmoney.com/maps/
• http//www.peets.com/selector_coffee/coffee_select
  or.asp

65
Political book purchases interaction?
http//orgnet.com/divided.html
66
Authorlink
http//cite.cis.drexel.edu/
67
Thinking logically for quality

• Excellent region-specific business sites
• Emerging nations and markets
• Reputable world trade sites
• Expanded news sites
• Interested parties with name recognition
• Management consultants
• Accounting firms
• Commercial investment banks

68
Web site evaluation criteria

• Source credibility
• Organizations and individual authors
• Pay attention to extensions
• Who links to them? To which sites do they link?
• Advocacy in check
• Purpose
• Target audience
• Objectivity
• Relevance to your work/inquiry
• Coverage and scope
• Integration

• Date of creation
• Frequency (and timeliness) of updates
• Quality
• Reliability
• Validity
• Accuracy/Error rate
• Meaning over time
• Completeness Consistency
• Aesthetics
• Accessibility/Ease of use
• Output options
• Documentation
• Customer support
• Value-to-cost ratio
• Privacy
• Site map

69
Tips for evaluating sites to bookmark

• Variety of extensions (and what they mean)
• Understand why you have chosen to bookmark each
  category of resource
• Back-up resources

70
Three categories of research

• Market
• Industry
• Company

• Background
• General business climate
• Risks
• Trade issues, barriers, statistics
• Population, demographics social/lifestyle
  issues
• Health, education religion
• Ethics values
• Technology infrastructure
• Legal/regulatory environment

71
Three categories of research

• Market
• Industry
• Company

• Statistics
• Legal regulatory issues
• Technology
• Trends forecasts
• Current activity
• Structure

72
Three categories of research

• Market
• Industry
• Company

• Background data (Corporate description)
• Financial performance
• Products and services
• Markets (and customers) served
• Operations
• Employee data

73
Where to find it (and who can help)

• International agencies NGOs
• Government sources (national local levels)
• Associations not-for-profit organizations
• Market, industry, company research reports
• Conferences, events, exhibitions
• Universities, research centers think tanks
• Identification
• Collections
• Case studies
• Experts
• Libraries Public, academic virtual libraries
  with excellent business collections, research
  guides, or links
• Press

74
Caveats at the market-level

• Country classification
• Geographic region
• Type of economy
• Stage of economic development
• Political organization

• Comparing country data
• Tips
• Problems

75
Competition at the country level

• Global Competitiveness Program (http//www.weforum
  .org)
• Knowledge Navigator Country and Industry Profiles
  (http//www.weforum.org/en/knowledge/index.htm)
• Competitive Institute (http//www.competitiveness.
  org)
• International Budget Project (http//www.internati
  onalbudget.org/resources/sites/dev_econ.htm)
• Competitive Indicators (World Bank)
• World Competitive Yearbook (http//www.imd.ch/rese
  arch/publications/wcy/index.cfm)
• Competition Policy UK (http//www.dti.gov.uk)
• Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy
  (http//brie.berkeley.edu/briewww/)
• Index of Economic Freedom - Country Guides
  (http//www.heritage.org/research/features/index/c
  ountries.cfm)
• Competitive Alternatives - KPMG's guide to
  international business costs (http//www.competit
  ivealternatives.com/default.html)
• Doing Business Guides
• Deloitte/EIU (http//www.deloittewebguides.com/ind
  ex.asp)
• World Bank Benchmarking Business Regulations
  (http//www.doingbusiness.org/)

76
Country profiles and data

• World Marketing Data and Statistics
  (http//www.euromonitor.com/womdas.aspx)
• Snapdata (http//www.snapdata.com/)
• InfoNation (http//cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonatio
  n3/menu/advanced.asp)
• Country Briefings (http//www.countrybriefings.com
  )
• Economist Intelligence Unit (http//www.eiu.com)
• Economist Country Briefings (http//www.economist.
  com/countries)
• Oxford Economics (http//www.oef.com)
• Country Watch (http//www.countrywatch.com)
• OneWorld - Nations Online (http//www.nationsonlin
  e.org/oneworld/)
• Igostats (http//www.igostats.com/)
• Eldis Statistics Guide (http//www.eldis.org/stati
  stics/index.htm)
• Earthtrends Country Profiles (http//earthtrends.w
  ri.org/country_profiles/index.php?theme5)
• Euromonitor Country Insight (http//www.Euromonito
  r.com/country_insight.aspx)

• Country Commercial Guides (http//www.foreign-trad
  e.com/reference/ccg.cfm)
• CIA World Factbook (https//www.cia.gov/cia/public
  ations/factbook/index.html)
• Library of Congress
• Country Studies http//lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshom
  e.html and http//countrystudies.us/ and Search
  the Studies (http//lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/csquery.htm
  l)
• Portals to the world http//www.loc.gov/rr/interna
  tional/portals.html
• Country Profiles http//lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/prof
  iles.html
• Global Gateway (http//international.loc.gov/intld
  l/intldlhome.html)

77
Emerging nations and markets

• International agencies
• Institute of International Finance Emerging
  Markets Research Policy (http//www.iif.com/)
• UNIDO (http//www.unido.org/data/regions.cfm?area
  GLO)
• Regional organizations
• North-South Institute (http//www.nsi-ins.ca/engli
  sh/default.asp)
• Transitions Online (http//www.tol.cz/look/TOL/hom
  e.tpl?IdLanguage1IdPublication4NrIssue76)
• Governments
• Canadian International Development Agency
  (http//www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/acdicida.nsf/E
  n/Home)
• U.S. Department of State (http//www.state.gov)
• International Data Base (http//www.census.gov/ipc
  /www/idbnew.html)
• Commercial databases
• Directory of Development Organizations
  (http//www.devdir.org/)
• S P Emerging Markets
• ISI Emerging Markets - Internet Securities
  (http//www.securities.com )

• Resources for International Economic Development
  (http//grove.ship.edu/econ/develop/)
• Global Knowledge for Development
  (http//notes.edc.org/GLG/GKD/repo.nsf/search)
• Least developed country report (http//www.unctad.
  org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemID3073lang1)
• Emerging Markets (http//www.emergingmarkets.org)
  
• Fund Research
• Emerging Portfolio http//www.gipinc.com)
• Investment Banks
• Pangaea Partners (http//www.pangaeapartners.com/)
  
• Commercial Banks
• Wachovia/First Union (http//www.wachovia.com/corp
  _inst/page/0,,13_54_3987_1068,00.html)
• Investment Promotion Network Direct Foreign
  Investment (http//www.fdi.net/country/index.cfm)
  
• Development Gateway (http//home.developmentgatewa
  y.org/)
• Licensing Digital Information (http//www.library.
  yale.edu/llicense/develop.shtml)

78
Selected academic libraries resource links

• Finding International Statistics Online
  (http//www.lib.umd.edu/MCK/GUIDES/intstat.html)
• GlobalEdge Country Insights (http//globaledge.msu
  .edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp)
• VIBES (http//library.uncc.edu/vibes/)
• Everything International Company Industry
  Data (http//faculty.philau.edu/russowl/industry.h
  tml)
• Research Guides Baker Library
  (http//www.library.hbs.edu/guides/3)
• International Country/Studies (http//library.webs
  ter.edu/netresearch/country.html)
• Finding International Statistics Online
  (http//www.lib.umd.edu/MCK/GUIDES/intstat.html)

79
Economic and trade data

• National accounts
• Measures of inflation
• Financial statistics
• Labor statistics
• Risk
• Trade (international and foreign)

80
Economic data collection issues

• Measuring National Accounts
• Effect of inflation
• Measures of inflation
• Use GDP deflator for macro analysis
• Use PPI or CPI, as appropriate
• Political environment
• Exchange rates

• Purchasing Power Parity Index (PPP) tries to
  factor in the underground economy and other
  intangibles
• For a truer cost of living, try the Big Mac Index
• Relocation services
• Hotel costs
• EIU Worldwide Cost of Living

81
Economic and trade data

• System of National Accounts
• Balance of Payments Statistics (IMF)
• Handbook of Economic Statistics
  (http//www.odci.gov/cia/di/products/hies/index.ht
  ml)
• Index of Economic Freedom (http//www.heritage.org
  /research/features/index/index.cfm)
• International Budget Project (http//www.internati
  onalbudget.org/resources/sites/dev_econ.htm)

• World Economic Outlook (IMF)
• Euromonitors World Economic Factbook
• World Tables (World Bank)
• OECD
• Economic Outlook
• Historical Statistics
• Eurostat National Accounts ESA Aggregates
• UN System Pathfinder Economic development
  (http//www.un.org/Depts/dhl/pathfind/frame/start.
  htm)

82
Economics Data sources

• UN System Pathfinder Economic development
  (http//www.un.org/Depts/dhl/pathfind/frame/start.
  htm)
• Organisation for Economic Cooperation
  Development (http//www.oecd.org)
• Bank for International Settlements
  (http//www.bis.org/forum/research.htm)
• Economic Statistics Briefing Room
  (http//www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/esbr.html)
• Joint Economic Committee (http//www.house.gov/jec
  /)
• US Census Bureau (www.census.gov)
• Census Bureau Economic Programs
  (http//www.census.gov/econ/www/)
• Census Economic Briefing Room (http//www.census.g
  ov/cgi-bin/briefroom/BriefRm)
• Commercial products (CACI)
• Economic Indicators (http//www.gpoaccess.gov/indi
  cators/browse.html)
• EconStats

• EconomicIndicators.gov
• Bureau of Economic Analysis (www.bea.gov)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (http//www.bls.gov)
• Stat-USA (www.stat-usa.gov/stat-usa.html)
• Federal Reserve Boards
• International Economic Statistics Database
  (http//liber8.stlouisfed.org/iesd/)
• Index to Reserve System Economic Publications
  (http//www.frbsf.org/publications/fedinprint/inde
  x.html)
• Federal Reserve Education (http//www.federalreser
  veeducation.org/FRED/)
• http//research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/
• Beige Book (http//www.federalreserve.gov/fomc/bei
  gebook/2007/)
• Business Cycle Indicators (http//www.conference-b
  oard.org/economics/bci/)
• Regional Economic Conditions (http//www2.fdic.gov
  /recon/)

83
Personal favorites Economics

• Statistics
• World (Bank) Development Indicators
  (http//econ.worldbank.org)
• UN Common Database (http//unstats.un.org/unsd/cdb
  /cdb_help/cdb_quick_start.asp)
• Millennium Development Goals Indicators
  (http//unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/mi.asp)
• US Census Bureau Statistical Agencies
  International (http//www.census.gov/main/www/stat
  _int.html)
• World In Figures from Statistics Finland
  (http//tilastokeskus.fi/tup/maanum/index_en.html)
  
• Sources of Economic and Financial Statistics
  (http//www.lib.gla.ac.uk/Depts/MOPS/Stats/economi
  c.shtml)
• Economic Research Network (http//www.ssrn.com/upd
  ate/ern/index.html)
• Economics Classroom (http//www.learner.org/channe
  l/workshops/economics/)
• QuickMBA (http//www.quickmba.com/econ/)
• For the public
• AmosWEB Pedestrians Guide to the Economy
  (http//www.amosweb.com/cgi-bin/awb_nav.pl?spdg)
  
• Dr. Ts EconLinks.com (http//econlinks.com/)
• Free Lunch (http//www.economy.com/freelunch/defau
  lt.asp)
• Bridges Library (http//del.icio.us/bridgeslibrary
  )

• Associations think tanks
• American Economics Association (http//www.vanderb
  ilt.edu/AEA/) and (http//www.aeaweb.org/)
• EconLit (http//www.econlit.org/)
• Association for University Business and Economic
  Research (http//www.auber.org/)
• National Bureau of Economic Research
  (http//www.nber.org/data/)
• Econometrics Journal Links (http//www.econ.vu.nl/
  econometriclinks/)
• AEI's monthly newsletter on economic trends in
  the United States and abroad (http//www.aei.org)
  
• Economic Strategy Institute (http//www.econstrat.
  org/)
• EconPapers (http//econpapers.repec.org/)
• Economic Policy Institute (http//www.epinet.org/c
  ontent.cfm/webfeatures_webfeat)
• Economics Search Engine (http//ese.rfe.org/)
• Institute for International Economics
  (http//www.iie.com/)
• Library of Economics and Liberty
  (http//www.econlib.org/index.html)
• MilkenInstitute.org
• Theoretical Economics Open Journal
  (http//econtheory.org/)
• Center for Economic Policy Research
  (http//www.cepr.org/default_static.htm)
• Brookings.org
• National Association for Business Economics
  (http//www.nabe.com/)
• Independent Institute (http//www.independent.org/
  issues/)

84
Personal favorites Economics

• Commercial Sources
• DRI WEFA (http//www.dri-wefa.com/)
• Economist.com Research Tools (http//www.economist
  .com/research/)
• Forbes.com Best of the Web Economics Blogs
  (http//www.forbes.com/bow/b2c/category.jhtml?id3
  07)
• Kiplinger forecasts (http//www.kiplinger.com/inde
  x.html)
• Roubini Global Economics (http//www.rgemonitor.co
  m/)
• BE data links (http//www.econ-datalinks.org/sear
  ch.html)
• BPubs Economics (http//www.bpubs.com/Economics/
  )
• 1800miti - Ugly site, great links
  (http//1800miti.com/Companies/page112.html)
• Economic History data series online
  (http//www.eh.net/databases/)
• EconMagic Economic Time Series great links
  (http//www.economagic.com/)
• EconData.net links
• Law and Economics (http//lawecon.lp.findlaw.com/)
  
• EconLibrary.com
• VLRC Economics Links (http//www.virtuallrc.com/vl
  rceconomicslinks.html)
• Argmax.com
• MacroBlogtypepad.com

• Academic Sites
• InfoMine Business Economics
  (http//infomine.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/search?categoryb
  usecon)
• Columbia University (http//www.columbia.edu/cu/lw
  eb/indiv/business/ir/stats.html)
• University Economics Departments
  (http//web.uvic.ca/econ/depts_Uvic.html)
• Econ Links (http//www.marietta.edu/delemeeg/econ
  link.html)
• EconData (http//inforumweb.umd.edu/Contents.html)
  
• Economics Information Sources (http//www.york.ac.
  uk/services/library/subjects/economics.htm )
• Internet Resources for the Economy
  (http//www2.lib.udel.edu/subj/econ/internet.htm)
• Economics and Economic Statistics Research
  (http//www.library.ucsb.edu/subjects/econ/econg.h
  tml)
• Internet Economist (http//www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/tutor
  ial/interneteconomist)
• Researching International Economic Law
  (http//www.ll.georgetown.edu/intl/iiel/home.htm)
  
• Berkeley Law Economics Working Papers
  (http//repositories.cdlib.org/blewp/)
• Economics Subject Guide (http//www.library.yale.e
  du/socsci/economics/)
• WebEc (http//www.helsinki.fi/WebEc/WebEc.html)
• Scandinavian Working Papers (http//swopec.hhs.se/
  hastef/)
• Economic Resources for College Teachers
  (http//ecedweb.unomaha.edu/teach-ec.htm)
• Intute Social Sciences Economics
  (http//www.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/economics/
  )
• BizEd (http//www.bized.ac.uk/learn/economics/inde
  x.htm)
• Teaching K-12 Economics (http//ecedweb.unomaha.ed
  u/k-12/home.cfm)

85
Global business data collection issues Business
finance

• Accounting standards
• Year-end dates
• Capital market requirements
• Internationalization of capital markets

• Currency conversion
• Depreciation
• Treatment of goodwill
• Repatriation of profits

86
Personal favorites Financial statistics

• International Financial Statistics (IMF) with
  trial account (http//ifs.apdi.net/imf/)
• Financial Market Update (http//www.imf.org/extern
  al/pubs/ft/fmu/eng/index.asp)
• International Finance Corporation
  (http//www.ifc.org/)
• Foreign Direct Investment Database
  (http//www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemI
  D1923lang1)
• Global Financial Data (http//www.globalfinanciald
  ata.com/index.php3)
• Organisation for Economic Cooperation
  Development (http//www.oecd.org)
• Bretton Woods Project (http//www.brettonwoodsproj
  ect.org/briefings/index.shtml)
• Treasury Bulletin (http//www.fms.treas.gov/bullet
  in/)
• Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
  (http//www.federalreserve.gov/)
• Historical releases (http//www.federalreserve.gov
  /releases/)
• Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
  (http//www.chicagofed.org/)
• FRASER (http//fraser.stlouisfed.org/)
• Liber8 (http//liber8.stlouisfed.org/)
• Federal Reserve Bulletin (http//www.federalreserv
  e.gov/pubs/bulletin/default.htm)
• Foreign Exchange Rates (http//www.ny.frb.org/mark
  ets/fxrates/noon.cfm)

• Financial Times (http//www.ft.com)
• FT Market Watch (http//www.ftmarketwatch.com/)
• Journal of Commerce (http//www.joc.com)
• III Financial Services Factbook
  (http//www.iii.org/financial2/)
• Financial Ratio Analysis (http//www.bized.ac.uk/c
  ompfact/ratios/index.htm)
• SP indices (http//www2.standardandpoors.com/port
  al/site/sp/en/us/page.category/indices/2,3,1,0,0,0
  ,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0.html)
• Financial Training Calendar (http//www.financial-
  conferences.com/)
• Financial Textbooks (http//finmath.com)
• Financial Dictionary (http//www.anz.com/edna/dict
  ionary.asp)
• A Z of Financial Terms (http//www.moneyextra.co
  m/dictionary/)
• Financial Scandals (http//www.ex.ac.uk/RDavies/a
  rian/scandals/)
• The Millennium (http//interactive.wsj.com/public/
  current/summaries/mill-1-f.htm)
• Finance Resources from Krislyns Strictly
  Business Sites (http//www.strictlybusinesssites.c
  om/fin.htm)

87
Personal favorites Financial statistics

• For the public
• FastCEO.com
• Bloomberg.com/
• MarketWatch.com
• Strictly Business http//www.strictlybusinesssites
  .com/fin.htm
• http//1800miti.com/Companies/page113.html
• Google Finance http//finance.google.com/finance
• Yahoo! Finance http//finance.yahoo.com/search
• Commercial sites and products
• FinanceWise.com
• Guarantee-Finance.com
• StudyFinance.com
• Fund Info Service (http//www.wilink.com/fundinfos
  ervice.htm)
• Bonds
• BondsOnline (http//www.bondsonline.com/asp/resear
  ch/creditdnp.html)
• InvestingInBonds.com
• DCP Data for municipal bond info
  (http//www.dpcdata.com/index_n.cfm)
• Hedge Funds
• Hedge Fund Association (http//www.thehfa.org/)

• Academic institutions
• WWW Virtual Library (http//fisher.osu.edu/fin/ove
  rvw.htm)
• Financial Data Finder (http//fisher.osu.edu/cgi-b
  in/DB_Search/db_search.cgi?setup_filefinance.setu
  p.cgi)
• Finance Site List (http//fisher.osu.edu/fin/journ
  al/jofsites.htm)
• Finance Links and Sites from NYU
  (http//www.stern.nyu.edu/fin/general/resource.htm
  )
• Web Links (http//viking.som.yale.edu/finance.cent
  er/html/weblinks.html)
• Sources of Economic and Financial Statistics
  (http//www.lib.gla.ac.uk/Depts/MOPS/Stats/economi
  c.shtml)
• Wachowiczs Web World (http//web.utk.edu/jwachow
  i/wacho_world.html)
• Society of Financial Professionals
  (http//www.financialpro.org/ )
• Social Science Research Network
  (http//www.ssrn.com/fen/index.html)
• World Federation of Exchanges (http//www.world-ex
  changes.org/wfe/home.asp?actiondocumentmenu10n
  avie)
• What was the exchange rate then
  (http//eh.net/hmit/exchangerates/)
• How much is that (http//eh.net/hmit/)

88
Labor

• Issues
• Employment unemployment statistics
• Labor laws regulations
• Temporary help
• Telework
• Telework Association (http//www.tca.org.uk/)
• Telework Exchange (http//www.teleworkexchange.com
  /about.asp)
• Outsourcing Offshoring (http//www.outsourcingof
  fshore.us/)

• Strike dates settlements
• Compensation practices
• Sources
• International Organizations
• Governments
• Labor unions
• Think tanks
• Advocacy groups

89
My favorite labor sites and hot topics

• International Labour Organization databases
  (http//www.ilo.org/public/english/support/lib/dbl
  ist.htm) Natlex (http//www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/
  natlex_browse.home)
• Labour Economics Gateway (http//labour.ceps.lu/)
  
• EEOC in the US and Equal Opportunities Commission
  in the UK
• Center for Economic and Social Inclusion
  (http//cesi.org.uk/)
• Official Labour Market Statistics
  (http//www.nomisweb.co.uk/)
• European Foundation for the Improvement of Living
  and Working Conditions (http//www.eurofound.ie/em
  ire/emire.html) European Industrial Relations
  Observatory (http//www.eiro.eurofound.ie/)
• Globalization and Labor Standards Bibliography
  (http//www.laborstandards.org/)
• WWW Virtual Library (http//www.iisg.nl/w3vl/)
• Flexibility Resources for New Ways of Working
  (http//www.flexibility.co.uk/)
• National Immigration Law Center
  (http//www.nilc.org/)

• Workplace Law (http//www.workplacelaw.net/)
• Employment Law Information Network
  (http//www.elinfonet.com/)
• Employment Law News Library from CCH
  (http//hr.cch.com/news/employment/library.asp)
• Labor and Employment Legal Resources 2002
  (http//www.llrx.com/features/laborlaw.htm)
• National Employment Law Project
  (http//www.nelp.org/)
• Human Resources Law Index (http//www.hrlawindex.c
  om/)
• CEO Executive Pay (http//www.forbes.com/executive
  pay/2004/04/21/04ceoland.html)
• Core Compensation Data (http//www.hemscottdata.co
  m/fin_database/us_executive.html)
• Executive Paywatch (http//www.aflcio.org/corporat
  ewatch/paywatch/)
• Workforce Productivity (http//www.saibooks.com/wk
  d.html)
• Local Employment Dynamics (http//lehd.dsd.census.
  gov/led/datatools/qwiapp.html)
• Executive compensation online from Salary.com
  (http//www.ecomponline.com/)
• Workers Struggles (http//wsws.org/sections/catego
  ry/workers/roundup.shtml)

90
My favorite labor sites

• US Dept. of Labor (http//www.dol.gov/)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (http//stats.bls.gov/)
  
• Occupational Employment Statistics
  (http//stats.bls.gov/oes/)
• http//www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrci.htm11
• Compensation and Working Conditions
  (http//stats.bls.gov/opub/cwc/)
• Most requested statistics (http//www.bls.gov/data
  /top20.htm)