These books are available in the WTCI resource room and in many local libraries. According to Mr. Mickalonis, a company engaging in market research attempts to identify and inform of the largest market for its product and the fastest growing markets. The two major types of research are primary and secondary. Primary research requires collecting data directly from consumers, compiling the information and making it available to the public. On the other hand, secondary research consists of drawing data from published and unpublished sources.
Secondary research is the primary focus of the afternoon presentation.
The product classification consists of a code that can be found at usitc.gov or census.gov on the Internet. The next step is to find more specific information by country. The CIA World Factbook is free to access via the Web and provides information on the geography, politics, economies, history and government. To gain knowledge of the political environment the State Department Background Notes give an in-depth analysis. The Europa Yearbook and Culturgrams are excellent ways to access social and cultural information.