Icon Group International, Inc.

This multiple-volume reference is most helpful to managers evaluating international investment opportunities, prioritizing resource allocation across countries, formulating entry strategies or designing local marketing activities. Rather than focus on the softer aspects of a country, the data books provide over 200 hard statistics for each country that can be used as direct inputs to investment models and strategic plans. Volumes are organized by regions.

Country Studies: Often managers need an in-depth, yet broad and up-to-date understanding of a country's strategic market potential and situation before the first field trip or investment proposal. We publish over 190 country studies. Each study consists of analysis, statistics, forecasts, and information of relevance to managers. Reports are available individually or can be purchased as a collection (the entire series contains over 38,000 pages). The studies are continually updated to insure that the reports have the most relevant information available when purchased. In addition to raw information, the reports provide relevant analyses that put a more general perspective on a country (seen in the context of relative performance vis-à-vis benchmarks).

Global Product Studies: Companies are racing to become more international, if not global in their strategies. For hundreds of product/industry categories, Icon Group International publishes reports that give the reader a concise summary of the current level of activities, latent market forecasts, pro-forma financials, import competition profiles, contacts, key references and trends across 200 countries of the world. Each report focuses on a particular product and region (up to seven regions per product).

Global Contact Directories: Managers approaching the global market place, whether via direct exports, joint ventures or foreign direct investment, need to know who is playing the game in these foreign markets. Icon Group International publishes over 1,300 product/industry specific contact directories covering over 70 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America and Latin America. Each list covers thousands of contacts along the entire value chain: from suppliers and competitors to potential buyers. The list also covers industry players that serve each product area: publishers, information suppliers, trade associations, consultants and other professionals. Contact directories are licensed for unlimited reuse (e.g. for direct mailings) and include contact names, titles (short and long versions), addresses (by field), telephone numbers and, when available, fax numbers and the latest employee estimates. Companies are further classified by their areas of business. In general, the contacts include the highest levels of management. The directories are available on CD-ROM. Files are formatted so as to allow users to upload the directories directly into their own office software programs (e.g. popular spreadsheets and data bases formats are available).

Information/Research Out Sourcing: Most of Icon Group International's publications are available in both paper and magnetic formats. Special subscription and library services are also available when larger clients ask us to create an internal corporate reference library or information system that is maintained by Icon Group International Both stand-alone and network offerings are available.

Specialized Research: Icon Group International provides proprietary consulting services to its clients. These typically involve survey research involving the assessment of international market demand, pricing and competition.