Business

Offering business information users strategies for identifying and evaluating no-cost online information sources, this guide emphasizes techniques for recognizing biased and untrustworthy web sites. Information users are directed to the most useful and targeted sources of company histories and overviews. These include corporate sales and earnings data, SEC filings and stockholder reports, public records, market research studies, competitive intelligence, industry analyses, staff directories, executive biographies, statistics, survey/poll results, conference proceedings, press releases, news stories, and hard-to-find information about small businesses and niche markets. Demonstrated are concepts such as precision searching, which enables business searchers to quickly find the specific information they need. Also discussed are critical-thinking skills and the art of asking the right question. A 10-point checklist that allows users to systematically evaluate web site reliability is included.

This manual examines 900 nonpublic US enterprises, including large industrial and service corporations like Milliken & Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers; hospitals and health-care organizations such as Blue Cross; charitable and membership organizations, including the Ford Foundation; mutual and co-operative organizations such as IGA; joint ventures such as Motiva; government-owned corporations such as the United States Postal Service; and major university systems, including The University of Texas System.

This updated edition provides clear, concise instruction on every form of business writing, from traditional business letters to e-mail and other electronic communications. Pointing out that effective business English begins with mastering grammar and sentence structure, the author presents a brush-up course on the basics of correct usage. Second to grammatical correctness, the biggest challenge in preparing business documents is achieving an appropriate business style that conveys the writer's message succinctly without resorting to stilted, overly formal language. The author advises on how to achieve a natural tone, and to avoid meaningless jargon. She follows up with good examples of model business letters, r©sum©s, employment letters, interoffice memos, news releases, and business reports. Additional features include exercises with answers and a glossary of business terms.