Kresge Library News: Library Resources Archives


October 06, 2009

Wiki Page for Strat 502

If you are a MBA1 student, then you are probably working on your Strat 502 assignment.

We created a wiki page to help with your basic research by identifying the tools that best provide general information on your industry and your company.

By all means, please continue to contact us for help, we be hope that this page will get the ball rolling.

June 24, 2009

Kresge Library online services scheduled for downtime on Thursday, June 25

At 5pm on Thursday, June 25, the server that supports the Kresge Library catalog and related services, remote access to databases, and MeLCat requests will be down for a scheduled software upgrade. We anticipate the server to be down for approximately 5 hours.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

May 06, 2009

MeLCat adds functionality for quicker requests

The Michigan eLibrary Catalog (MeLCat), a union catalog of libraries all over the state of Michigan, is a great resource for Kresge patrons. MeLCat allows users to request items from other libraries and have them delivered straight to the Kresge Library circulation desk.

MeLCat recently released a new feature that streamlines book requests. Users must still select their library location and enter their name and MCard barcode once, but will no longer need to re-enter this information when requesting more than one resource in a single browsing session.

Search or browse MeLCat, or learn more about the new feature.

April 15, 2009

Are you using the Kresge Wiki?

The Kresge Library Wiki is rapidly becoming the fastest growing part of the Library's website.

The Wiki is a great place to start your research if you're not sure what resources to use. The Wiki includes recommendations and resources for library databases, journals, books, and websites in the more traditional Ross department disciplines, as well as new emerging topics like hybrid technologies ecommerce. You can browse the topics, or use the search box to look for information on your topic.

Here are some of the newest pages added to the Wiki:

Have questions or comments about the Kresge Wiki? Contact us and let us know how we can help.

April 08, 2009

SSRN schedules downtime for system upgrades

The Social Science Research Network (SSRN) will be down for system upgrades starting at 6pm on Friday, April 10. The service is scheduled to resume at 7am on Monday, April 13, with new functionality. During downtime, access to all SSRN materials will be unavailable.

Faculty may submit working papers they would like added to SSRN to Kresge Library during the upgrade, but Library staff will be unable to add materials to the site during system downtime.

January 21, 2009

New Look for the A-Z Database List

Visitors to the Kresge Library's A-Z Database Listing page will now see a new, more streamlined resource. We've updated the page to make navigating and reading it easier, as well as to add some information about the kinds of personal notifications that some databases provide.

Have a comment or question about the new look? Having any trouble with it? Let us know at kresge_library@umich.edu.

February 05, 2008

A Great Place for Advertising: YouTube

There are a number of resources that you can use to view advertisements. One of the resources that is definitely worth checking out is YouTube (it is not just for stupid stunts anymore)!

From the New York Times

For Marketing, the Most Valuable Player Might Be YouTube
By STUART ELLIOTT
Published: February 5, 2008
The Internet, digital video recorders, mobile devices and other technologies are giving a strong postgame presence to the annual roster of Super Bowl commercials.

Follow this link for the full article.

With more and more advertising available via YouTube and other resources, it is easier than ever to find and use advertising in your research.

The trick is getting the file so you can use it on your desktop when you are not connected to the Internet. Getting a file from YouTube has been tricky. But there is a great web application that you can use to grab YouTube videos and convert them to MP4 files.

Called YouTube to iPod and PSP Converter, this small program will download and convert YouTube videos into an MP4 file format among others. Good for your iPod, your PowerPoint Presentation or for working offline. This is from DVDVIDEOSOFT.COM and is free.

For students and faculty at the Ross School of Business, there is also Adforum. This database provides access to over 35,000 advertisements in all media. The focus is international. The database has audio and video capability. The source also provides access to news and other information relating to the advertising industry, including agency information. Be sure to log off as directed on the password sign on screen.

November 28, 2007

Kresge Library is del.icio.us

Want to know what web sites the Kresge Librarians use to answer some of the tough reference questions? Check out the library's new del.icio.us page, listing some of our favorite reference web sites.

Do you have a favorite site that you use to answers some of your tough business questions? Let us know about it! Drop us an email at kresge_library@umich.edu.

November 21, 2007

New Journals Available in JSTOR

JSTOR, the online journal archive, has recently added 44 new journal titles to their repository. JSTOR is unique in that it tries to provide full text of every issue from a journal's run.

Titles of interest to the Ross Community include:

For a complete list of journals, visit JSTOR's update page.

October 11, 2007

New Resource: RSV - Revenues from Sports Venues

The library has subscribed to a new publication that covers the sporting events venues industry. RSV: Revenues from Sports Venues, covers Arenas, Ballparks, Stadiums, Colleges and Universities, and other news related to sporting events venues.

Access to this publication is available through the Library Catalog.

To receive updates when new issues are available, subscribe to the RSS feed for this publication.

September 26, 2007

Exporting from Mintel

Exporting from Mintel has changed with their new interface. The biggest change is the requirement of a login in order to download any data. The specifics of exporting from the new Mintel interface are explained in our Exporting from Mintel handout available on the Library's A-Z Database page.

September 24, 2007

Kresge Library Dash - New Podcast Available

A new episode of the Kresge Library Dash Podcast series is now available on iTunes. Episode 10 - Jumpstart Your Job Search is the audio companion to the popular Library instruction session by the same name. Included in this podcast in the lyrics section is the transcript of the podcast for easy reference.

Subscribe to the Kresge Dash at iTunes. Don't have iTunes? You can still listen to our podcasts with your web browser from our Kresge Dash page.

For long-time subscribers, please re-subscribe to the Kresge Dash in iTunes as the links to our series have changed and iTunes will not automatically update the series at the old address.

September 20, 2007

New Issue of Korpacz Real Estate Investor Survey Available

The new issue of the Korpacz Real Estate Investor Survey for the 3rd Quarter of 2007 is now available through the Library Catalog. New to this issue is the Average OAR Comparison section, a snapshot of the risk/return expectations of the 24 national and individual markets in the Survey. Also included is an article titled 'Green Building - A Strategic Imperative", which looks at the morphing of green building from trend into strategic imperative for owners and developers

September 18, 2007

New E-Book: Encyclopedia of Major Marketing Campaigns

The Encyclopedia of Major Marketing Campaigns looks at 500 major marketing and advertising campaigns of the 20th century from a historical perspective and several related initiatives of earlier years that developed the basis for present day advertising. Each article looks at the advertising campaign's or market initiative's historical context, target market, expected outcomes, competition, marketing strategy and development hurdles and the outcome of the campaign — what worked, what didn't and why.

This title is available through the Gale Virtual Reference Library and is accessible by the entire UM Ann Arbor Campus.

July 06, 2007

New Database: Demographics Now

Resource Name: Demographics Now

Resource Link (for Ross School Faculty, Students, and Staff

Alternative Link for OnCampus Access

Resource Description: Demographics Now breaks down Census data and other statistical information such as demographic, income, and expenditure data by various geographic levels, including state, county, zip code area, and census tract. Available reports include summaries, comparisons, rankings, and maps. Can be used to develop business and marketing plans.

April 26, 2007

Congratulations to Our New Alumni!

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan!

As you may know, the library offers Ross alumni free access to a select group of databases. We are the only school at Michigan to offer alumni access to databases and this list is the gold standard among American Business Schools. We continually negotiate with vendors to provide access to our alumni community and, as the opportunity presents itself, we will expand our offerings. New resources will be highlighted in Michigan Mail, the Alumni Services web page at the Kresge Library site, and here on the Library News blog.

Resources that are available are listed on our Alumni Services page. Be sure to bookmark it in your browser for easy access in the future.

You will need your UM uniqname login and password to access these databases. If you have trouble logging in, please contact the Kresge Library Reference Desk for assistance at 734.764.9464 or email us at kresge_library@umich.edu.

February 07, 2007

New Reports Available via IBISWorld

New Reports Available via IBISWorld

The Kresge Library now has access to a full suite of reports from IBISWorld. In addition to the Industry Market Research Reports, we now have access to the Company Research Reports & the Business Environment Database Reports. These are all integrated via the database to make it easy to move back and forth between different reports. We will soon be getting access to archival reports as well (news coming soon).

This is the full description of the database: IBISWorld is a leading provider of strategic Business Information with research reports on industries, companies and economic conditions. The Industry Market Research Reports cover a wide-range of U.S. industries and are updated every four months ensuring that the latest industry data will always be available. The IBISWorld industry data enables detailed analysis of key growth trends, the competitive environment, and key issues facing each industry. You can browse by industry or search the reports by keyword. Company Research Reports cover over 8000 leading publicly traded companies and include information on key personnel and financials. Business Environment Database Reports provide information on “key drivers and influencing factors� that contribute to changes in industry.

Link to IBISWorld (Business School link).

Alternative link for on-campus access to IBISWorld

February 06, 2007

New Expanded Data Available from Amadeus

New Expanded Data Available from Amadeus

The Kresge Library now has access to the full database of public and private companies in 38 European Countries in Amadeus. This means that when you use Amadeus, you will be searching over 9 million company records (up from the 1.5 million in our previous package).

Here is the description of the resource: A comprehensive, pan-European database containing financial information (including ratios, activities and ownership) on approaching 9 million public and private companies in 38 European countries. It combines data from over 30 specialist regional information providers (IPs). Amadeus features standardised annual accounts (for up to 10 years), consolidated and unconsolidated, financial ratios, activities and ownership for approximately 9 million companies throughout Europe, including Eastern Europe.

Access Amadeus here.

December 18, 2006

Use Safari E-Books for Help with PowerPoint and Excel

Need help with PowerPoint and Excel? The Kresge Library has a great resource for you. Safari Tech Books Online is a fully-searchable collection of electronic books in computer science, information technology, and related fields.


View e-Books on PowerPoint & View e-Books on Excel


Safari titles cover diverse topics including programming languages, information technology management, operating systems, software applications, "hacks", and business titles. This resource includes books from 2004 to the present from such leading presses as O'Reilly and Pearson Technology Group (which includes Addison-Wesley, Financial Times Prentice Hall, Cisco Press, New Riders, Peachpit Press, Que, Sams, etc.) To see other e-book packages, view the e-book page.

December 05, 2006

World Travel Organization Book Collection

We have started to receive titles as a despository library of the World Travel Organization. As one of six despository libraries in the United States, we receive all the books that they publish every year. The first books just arrived and will soon be in the catalog. These titles include: Tourism Market Trends - World Overview 2005; Thailand - The Asia and the Pacific Intra-regional Outbound Series & Measuring the Economic Importance of the Meetings Industry: Developing a Tourism Satellite Account.

All these items will be available via the library catalog.

November 22, 2006

Thinking about...Video Games

With the recent release of the Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii, and the ensuing campouts for one of the new game consoles, it got me thinking about what resources one might seek to explore more about this multi-billion dollar industry. At Kresge Library, we have a large number of market reports and news information that can show exactly what people spend on video game systems.

Marketing Reports

The Library has many resources that have information on Marketing.

Develop a search strategy that reflects the scope of the industry. While you can search each of these databases for "video games" or "video game console systems," you might also be served looking in other directions

Mintel Reports offers a number of reports that help explain this market.
Not only do they include reports specifically looking at the video game market (Video Game Consoles and Games - US - August 2004 & Video Game Console Systems - US - July 2006), but some general reports that look at the role of electronics in the young adult market (Attitudes of Young Adults Towards Consumer Electronics - US - October 2005).

With MarketResearch.com, the most valuable reports focus on the youth market. Over 270 items come up with a search of Video Games. But be careful, some of the best matches (from a keyword point of view) are older reports. If you see a reference to Nintendo 64...its time to get another report.

GMID (Global Market Information Database) has great reports from Euromonitor on many subjects. To get to reports on video games, or any topic, click on keyword search on the top menu. You can search video games. (A little hint with this database - if you get no hits, take a word out of the search strategy. This will cast out a wider net and catch more reports). The keyword search results will show statistics first and then the reports. To see the report (say Video Games – USA), click on the second button on the upper right (Click to view whole report) and then the PDF icon to make it easy to print.

Company and Industry Resources

The Library has many resources that have information on Company and Industry Resources.

While the video games might seem all consuming to many people out there, it represents just a portion of the big companies that produce or sell these items. Still, by looking at those reports, you will get a great feel for what the market really is. Databases such as Business and Company Research Center, OneSource, Standard and Poors Net Advantage, MarketLine Business Information Center, and others offer great resources for learning more about the people who are closely tied with the video game market.

Among the manufacturers, use these databases to learn more about Playstation 3’s Sony (Ticker: SNE), Xbox 360’s Microsoft (Ticker: MSFT) or Gamecube’s Nintendo. Among companies that create the games, you can search for Take-Two Interactive Software (Ticker TTWO), the fine people who bring us family games such as Grand Theft Auto , Activision (Ticker: ATVI) who create game tie-ins for Tony Hawk and Dreamworks. You would also be served to explore the companies that sell thousands of these units and millions of the games every year. They include: Best Buy (Ticker: BBY), Circuit City (Ticker: CC), Wal-Mart (Ticker: WMT), Gamestop (Ticker: GME) and CompUSA (privately held) just to name a few. Look at all the information on these companies, especially analyst reports, to get a sense on how the fluctuations of the video games market effects their bottom line.

Article Databases
You can also search for news articles from resources such as ABI/Inform, Business Source Complete (EBSCO) and Factiva from the Electronic Journals page.

When searching the databases, remember that sometimes you need to change your terms to make searches more successful. Many reports and articles will be found by searching for generic terms such as video games vs. the individual game systems. Finally, remember that these databases are changing every day. As vendors face shortages or gluts of their products, you will be able to use these resources to get a sense of what is going on.

November 01, 2006

Dreaming of Candy...Information on the Halloween Market

Thinking about all that Halloween candy bought yesterday for trick or treaters? So are we. At Kresge Library, we have a large number of market reports and news information that can shed some light on exactly how much candy is sold for this holiday…and others.

The Library has many resources that have information on Marketing.

Mintel Reports: See reports entitled Seasonal Chocolate Confectionery - (August 2006) & Holiday Shopping - (April 2005)

MarketResearch.com: See reports entitled (The U.S. Market for Chocolate, Candy, Gum & Mints, Volumes I-III (2003)

IBISWorld: See reported entitled (31134 - Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing in the US)

You can also search for news articles from resources such as ABI/Inform, Business Source Complete (EBSCO) and Factiva from the Electronic Journals page.

When searching the databases, remember that sometimes you need to change your terms to make searches more successful. Many reports will be found by searching for Halloween, but you might find more by searching for “seasonal and candy�. The latter search will also yield information on Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day, three large candy holidays.

There are also many great resources available via the Internet. One resource is the National Retail Federation. They have a page of information on holidays and special occasions since 2002. Insofar as Halloween Candy, the NRF reports that the average consumer will spend $18.72 on candy. The entire Halloween market in the states is expected to approach $5 billion dollars! Go to full press release and survey results.

October 04, 2006

Kresge Library Dash Podcast Series

Kresge Library Dash
The Kresge Library Dash is an occassional podcast series designed to provide you with tips and tricks for using the library and working with library resources and databases.

You can subscribe to our podcast series at the Kresge Library Dash iTunes page, a part of the Ross iTunes site.

Podcasts are available on the following topics:


... with more to come.

The Kresge Library Dash can be found on the library's website or at Ross iTunes.

September 07, 2006

Pharmaceutical R & D Statistical Sourcebook

The Pharmaceutical R&D Statistical Sourcebook 2005/2006 is now available in the Taubman Medical Library. This reference book features real-world studies, analyses, articles, and data sets focusing on emerging pharma/biotech R&D trends. It provides the latest intelligence on every aspect of pharmaceutical development--from product discovery to R&D performance and productivity to time-to-market trends.

This is a great resource for pharmaceutical product pipeline and product success information. This book is available in the Reference section of the Taubman Library, call number RS 122 .P33 2005/06.

August 11, 2006

Ross Working Papers Archive Collection

The Ross School of Business - Working Papers Series archive collection is now available via Deep Blue. The archive contains electronic versions of working papers by faculty of the Michigan Business School and Ross School of Business from 1969 through the present. Previously the working papers series was stored in two different databases. Now all of the papers are stored in a single location, making search and retrieval easier and more efficient. The collection is searchable by title, author and keyword.

The Working Papers Series Archive is housed at Deep Blue, the University Library's digital repository. All items deposited in this collection are given a permanent URL which will never change, providing stability for linking to or citing a particular paper. In addition, papers housed in Deep Blue are easier to find (they are indexed by Google Scholar, for example) and cite.

Access to this collection is available from the Kresge Library's Working Papers page or at the The Ross School of Business - Working Papers Series archive page at Deep Blue.

June 29, 2006

New Books at the Library

Here are a few of the titles that have recently been added to the library's collection. Come in and check them out!

--Outsourcing: A Guide To Selecting The Correct Business Unit Negotiating The Contract Maintaining Control Of The Process Call Number: HD 2365 B73 2006--Unlike some other books this title covers many areas from outsourcing accounting, logistics, human resources to maintenance and janitorial functions.

--Tourism Ethics--Call Number: G155 A1 F373--In the recent past we have had MAP projects on ecotourism. This book aims to stimulate thinking re: the ethical and other impacts of tourism on a society. At the end of the book is a section entitled: CASE STUDY ANALYSES. Among topics treated: Sex Tourism; Ecotourism; and Cruise Line Tourism.

--The Coffee Paradox: Global Markets, Commodity Trade And The Elusive Promise Of Development--Call Number: HD 9199 A2 D 385-- This book may be of interest to teams working with non-profits as it discusses the impact a commodity can have for good or bad on small regional farmers.

--Irresistible! Markets, Models, And Meta-Value In Consumer Electronics--Call number: HD 9696 A2 I77 2005--A collection of essays with some interesting chapters covering tele-health and online gaming.

--Speaking of online gaming! We just received an interesting book entitled: Synthetic Worlds: the business and culture of online games! Call Number: GV 1469.15 c394 2005

--The Wal-Mart Effect: How The World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--And How It's Transforming The American Economy--Call Number: HF 5429.215 .U6 W22 F54--The title speaks for itself on this one.

--Crisis Management By Apology:Corporate Response To Allegations Of Wrongdoing--Call Number: HD 59.2 H43--Given the recent recall on contact lens solution this timely book explores the role of corporate apology as a strategy in the face of public attack.

--As China is still hot. Of course we have new titles! Business And Management Education In China -- Call Number: HF1171.C5 B87 2005 and Developing Business Ethics In China -- Call Number HF5387.5.C6 I58 2002.

--We occasionally get requests for books on conducting surveys. One of the new titles may be helpful in this area. Getting Action From Organizational Surveys: New Concepts, Technologies And Applications -- Call Number: HF5549.5.A83 G48 2006. This is a collection of chapters by various authors dealing with all different types of surveys. Includes a chapter by RSB's very own Bob Quinn!

April 21, 2006

UM Library Database List Available via Search Tools

The list of databases provided by University Libraries has been made available via Search Tools. The University Library's Networked Electronic Resources page, it will no longer be available after April 30th.

You can use the Search Tools Find Databases feature to find databases by category or search by name or keyword. These databases are provided in addition to those available from the Kresge Library's A-Z list. Most are available to all Ross constituents.

A link to the Search Tools Find Databases feature is located on the main page of the Kresge Library web site.

April 14, 2006

New Materials in the Library

Check out what is new in the Library's collection. The March New Acquisitions list is now available.

April 06, 2006

Dividend Historical Issues Now Available

Historical issues of the Dividend Alumni Magazine are now available online. Starting with the first issue in Spring of 1969, each issue is avaiable in high quality PDF format for online viewing. This project was completed with in collaboration with the Communications Department.

The collection can be viewed on the Kresge Library web site at the Dividend Historical Issues page.

March 21, 2006

Socrates Historical Datafile

The Socrates Historical Datafile for 2005 is now available from the A-Z Database page. A link to the historical files is available in the database description, or at the bottom of the Socrates information page.

March 15, 2006

New Resource - Medical Industry Intelligence

Medical Industry Intelligence
Medical Industry Intelligence (MII) is an electronic journal provding comprehensive coverage of the medical device and technology markets. MII articles cover a wide range of topics and industry sectors, such as cardiovascular, orthopedics, endoscopy, and imaging.

Browse the Medical Industry Intelligence journal

Search Medical Industry Intelligence. Type in your search terms AFTER the word "AND" in the search box.