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Kraemer Family Library

Intercultural Technical Communication Market Research

You will need a variety of reliable government publications, reputable international organizations, and academic sources to gather information about your locale. Because you are searching for historical, social, economic, and political information, you should expect to pull from 5-10 different sources that focus on specific aspects. Don’t expect to find everything you need in just one place.

Government Sources

Government reports and statistics provide a foundational understanding of a country's official standing on key issues like infrastructure, education, and technology policy. ​​​​​​Look for statistical yearbooks, policy briefs, and reports on telecommunications and technology.

Search Tips

  • Begin your search with the name of your country in quotation marks (e.g., "Vietnam").
  • Add keywords that describe your topic, such as internet access, telecommunications policy, education statistics, or infrastructure development.
  • Use the date filter to limit your results to the last 5-10 years to ensure you are getting current information.

IGOs, or Intergovernmental Organizations, are organizations comprised of sovereign states (called member states) or of other organizations formed through formal treaties. They are established by treaty, which becomes the organizing charter of that group.

Sources for Economic and Policy Information

Try these starting points for global intergovernmental organizations:

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

United Nations

World Trade Organization (WTO)

World Bank

Cultural and Social Sources

While databases provide current data and reports, books and academic articles offer invaluable historical depth and cultural context. Use the library catalog to find e-books and print books that will help you understand the long-term forces that have shaped your country.

Search Tips

Follow these steps to effectively search the catalog:

  1. Start with a broad search using your country's name and a general term like "history", "politics", or "culture". For example: History of Kenya.
  2. Combine your country's name with more specific keywords related to World Systems Theory, such as "economic development", "postcolonialism", "globalization", or "social conditions". For example: "Brazil" AND "economic development".
  3. Once you get your search results, use the Subject filter on the left side of the screen to narrow them down. This is a great way to find books that are highly relevant to your topic or project.
  4. When you find a good source, look at its bibliography or references section. This is an excellent method for discovering other key scholars and sources on your topic.

The following organizations provide data, reports, and analysis on development, human rights, and culture that can supplement what you find in library databases.