Business Resource Guide

Business Resource Guide

Guide Index

Introduction

Business resources can provide essential information and tools to help owners manage and grow their businesses. The Lee Kong Chian Reference Library’s Business Collection, located at Level 7 of the National Library Building, aims to provide industry practitioners, entrepreneurs and researchers with access to reference materials that are authoritative, relevant and current. On top of books and journals, NLB also subscribes to a number of databases providing business related information such as financial news, intelligence on countries, companies, industries, markets and products.

This is a selection of resources on business and management available from the NLB catalogue or the Internet. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

Search Terms Call Number
Economics 320
Finance, banking and investment 332
International economics 337
Entrepreneurship and business enterprises 338
Industries (products and services) 338.47
Business law 341 – 346
International trade 382
Personal success in business 650.1
Accounting and auditing 657
Management 658 – 658.7
Marketing 658.8
Advertising and public relations 659

Economics and International Economics

Economics is the study of how resources are utilised. It looks at the decisions people make on how limited resources are allocated in order to meet the demands with highest optimisation. Economic principles, theories and models describe the creation, production, consumption, transfer and distribution of wealth. Scarcity, the imbalance between limited resources and demands, is one of the main drivers in economics. In the context of a country, resources could come in the form of human, capital, natural resources and technology. For an individual, resources could refer to money, skills, talents and time.

Books

Call no.: RBUS 330 BRU

This book, in its third edition, is a comprehensive guide to concepts in macro and microeconomics, accompanied with relevant, real-world examples to illustrate the applications of the concepts.

Call no.: RBUS 338.9 COH

This book touches on the evolution of economic systems in the regions of the world and analyses how the systems react to economy failures. It also covers related topics of microeconomics, welfare economics, developmental economics and the international economy.

Call no.: RBUS 338.095 ASI

This publication by the Asian Development Bank, features methodologies to study global value chains and their impacts on global economic interdependence, and also how the evolution in global value chains may affect competitiveness in Asia.

Call no.: RBUS 338.064 MAN

This book looks at the emerging trend of the behaviour economy and how the economic model and value creation methodologies will change in light of new customer behaviour and expectations arising due to the Internet of Things.

Call no.: RBUS 330 OCO

A useful resource for both researchers, students and the general public, this book outlines many of the key principles in economics which are relevant and easy-to-understand.

Call no.: RBUS 330 SLO

The fourth edition of this book explores the key concepts related to the topic of business, with a focus on macro and microeconomics, and coverage of wider business issues such as management and ethics.

eBooks

This ebook provides insights from 20 industry leaders, like chairmen and senior management executives, on their predictions of how their markets and companies will turn out in 2020. It also details their strategies on managing changes faced in the new economy.

  • Lim, L. and Lee, S. A. (2015). Singapore’s economic development: Retrospection and reflections. New Jersey: World Scientific. Retrieved from NetLibrary (eBooks on EBSCOHost).

This ebook gives an overview of Singapore’s economic development in the past 50 years since gaining its independence, from its past and current economic policies, to the emerging challenges to its development and economy.

  • Tambunan, T. (2014). The readiness of MSMEs in facing ASEAN economic community 2015. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Retrieved from NetLibrary (eBooks on EBSCOHost).

This ebook looks at the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in ASEAN countries, including Singapore, and their contributions to the economic development domestically and in the region.

Databases

  • Aliakbarian, M. (2017). New world, new economics. Marketing and branding research, 4(1), pp. 50-63. Retrieved from ProQuest Central.

This journal article studies the changes in the world economy via the analysis of the macroeconomics of sample countries, with results indicating that the new world and its economy is one focused on innovation and research and development (R&D).

  • Vovchenko, N. G. et al. (2016). Innovations and fighting global economic problems. Contemporary Economics, 10(4), pp. 289-298. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Databases.

This journal article studies whether the use of innovation can lead to improvements in the production process, and in turn provide solutions to some global economic problems, such as resource limitations and crises in the global economy.

Websites

This infographic summarises the overall performance of the manufacturing sector in Singapore in the 1st quarter of 2024, with comparisons of the growth of the sector with the economic growth of Singapore.

This report, produced and released biannually by MAS, gives up-to-date information about the macroeconomy of Singapore, including statistics, reviews and analysis of the economy.

The World Bank Open Data website provides free and open access to global development data, including economic indicators like gross domestic product (GDP), forecasts of global economic prospects etc of various countries in the world, including Singapore.

  • Townsend, R. (2013). Development Economics: Macroeconomics. Retrieved March 30, 2017 from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare: https://ocw.mit.edu

This online course, produced by MIT, covers various aspects of macroeconomics, including migration, modernisation, political economy, income distribution, and banks and credit market institutions in emerging markets. The website also hosts many other useful online e-learning courses on economics which are freely accessible for the public.

Finance, Banking and Investment

Finance refers to the study of the management of money and other assets. It includes the financial systems (such as banking and investments) as well as financial instruments (such as equity, credits, and debts). There are three broad categories under Finance: personal finance, corporate finance and public finance.

Books

Call no.: RBUS 658.2 APO

This book, written by experts from the Association of Risk Professionals, looks at and explains the various financial risks, regulations, and regulatory requirements involved in the modern economic environment.

Call no.: RBUS 332.109 CAL

This book analyses the banking systems in various countries in an attempt to uncover the reason why the systems in some countries are stable, while others are not.

Call no.: RBUS 332.1 DOC

This book explains some of the key concepts and developments in the banking industry, looking at the industry and its role in the financial crisis, and the regulations and governance of the industry.

Call no.: RBUS 338.542 FEL

This book discusses and analyses financial events that had occurred in the past and the present to forecast possible threats to the market, which may in turn prevent financial crises in the future.

Call no.: RBUS 332 SIM

This book looks at the financial sector and economic system in the United States, explaining how the US financial system functions and how the Federal Reserve support the US economy. eBooks

  • Blanchard, O. R. et al. (2016). Progress and confusion: The state of macroeconomic policy. Cambridge: MIT Press. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

This ebook looks at the future of macroeconomic policy, addressing topics such as the measurement of systemic risk to foreign exchange intervention. The ebook’s contents are a result of a meeting between leading economists organized by the International Monetary Fund in 2015.

  • Thornton, R. J. and Aronson, R. J. (2016). Contemporary studies in economic and financial analysis: Contemporary issues in bank financial management. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

This ebook is a useful textbook on financial services, touching on topics such as credit risk management, fund management and evaluation and Forex hedging using derivatives.

Databases

  • Iqbar, A. and Silvia, J. E. (2016, June). Does deflation threaten the global economy? Global Economy Journal, 16(2), pp. 189-212. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Business Source Complete.

This article focuses on the topic of deflation and its possible impacts to global finance and economy. It includes an early warning system to predict the likelihood of deflation or inflation occurring in the near term.

  • Kowit, R. M. et al. (2016). Trade finance as a financial asset: Risks and mitigants for non-bank investors. Journal of Risk Management in Financial Institutions, 9(1), pp. 59-70. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Business Source Complete.

This journal article gives an overview of the trade finance market, an area of interest for both banks and non-bank financial players, and the common instruments used to finance trade. It also provides information on the risks in trade finance and suggests some effective risk management practices.

  • Plunkett, J. W. et al. (2016). Market research and trends- Banking, mortgages and credit industry. Retrieved from Plunkett Research Online.

This report analyses the banking, mortgages and credit industry, providing up-to-date information such as the impacts of social trends, digital technology, regulations and policies on the industry. The report is segmented into 21 topics related to the industry.

  • Plunkett, J. W. et al. (2016). Market research and trends- Investments and securities industry. Retrieved from Plunkett Research Online.

This report provides updated information on the investments and securities industries, including topics such as the evolution of the investment market in China, global markets for IPOs, mergers and acquisitions and investment product facts etc.

Websites

  • Capri, A. (2017, March 30). Three reasons why the TPP is still as good as gold. Retrieved March 30, 2017 from Forbes website: https://www.forbes.com/

This article examines the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement after America’s withdrawal, and provides 3 reasons why the TPP will still be useful and relevant even if the agreement does not go through eventually.

  • Economic Strategies Committee (ESC). Subcommittee on developing a vibrant SME landscape and globally competitive local enterprises. Retrieved June 16, 2024 from National Archives of Singapore: https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/

This report contains the recommendations by the ESC to the Government to help local companies build their capabilities, establish their networks and nurture talent to become globally competitive.

The website lists down some of the common types of investments available in the market, providing useful information for those who are unfamiliar with investment products and what each means for the investor.

Business Management

Management often refers to organisational activities like planning, organizing, coordinating, staffing, controlling, directing and leading. This includes appropriating resources, such as finance, human, time, efforts, technology, to the functions of the organisation to achieve its goals. It often looks at how such activities can result in a more efficient and effective organisation.

Books

Call no.: RBUS 658.11 BAR

This book lists some essential information and steps for those who are interested to become entrepreneurs or start a new business. It offers useful tips such as how to do planning, assemble key resources, and legal aspects and agreements.

Call no.: RBUS 658.872 CHA

This textbook outlines the theory and practice of digital business and e-commerce management, including the technological, conceptual, strategic and implementation aspects.

Call no.: RBUS 658.421 FEL

This book discusses some of the issues which entrepreneurs may face when embarking on new startups and how these issues can be addressed.

Call no.: RBUS 658.3 INT

This book is a comprehensive guide on human resource management, looking at various related topics such as cultural perspectives on human resource management, employment practices, policies and corporate social responsibility.

Call no.: RBUS 658.4 OWE

This book is a compilation of fifty lessons which will be useful for managers to become better and more effective at management.

Call no.: RBUS 658.406 EFF

This book describes how change management can be implemented and practised successfully in an organisation and lead to change maturity. It covers the whole change management process, from planning to the implementation.

Call no.: RBUS 658.834 STR

This book provides an overview of how big data can be used by businesses to gain a better understanding of their customers and thus improve their marketing and communication strategies. Besides this, it also looks at other issues related to big data, such as analytics and personal privacy.

Call no.: RBUS 658 BER

This book provides an overview of about 75 key management models, including classical models and new models. Case studies and templates are also included to facilitate the applications of the models.

eBooks

The updated version of this ebook looks at various aspects of project management, such a setting goals and objectives, risk planning and management, leading a project team, procurement and management of stakeholders.

This ebook examines how big companies use big data to gain information and insights on their customers, processes etc. The information is presented in the form of case studies, which includes the data used by each company, how it was used and how it solved problems faced by the company.

  • Miller, S. and Morey, D. (2016). The leadership campaign: 10 political strategies to win at your career and propel your business to victory. Wayne: Career Press. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

This ebook outlines 10 strategies which can help a leader become more effective in today’s global business environment. The authors, who have decades of experience in political and business consultancy, have incorporated much of their experiences in formulating the 10 strategies.

  • O’Reilly, C. A. and Tushman, M. L. (2016). Lead and disrupt: How to solve the innovator’s dilemma. Palo Alto: Stanford Business Books. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

This ebook looks at the emerging trend of disruptive innovation in the modern global business environment, and how companies can adopt ambidexterity to improve their business and find new markets, while thriving in the new environment.

This ebook is a comprehensive guide on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), looking at how KPIs can be used by organisations to assess and encourage performance. It also includes templates and checklists which company leaders can use when formulating their KPIs.

Databases

  • Froschheiser, L. (2014, June). Business sustainability: the strategies to achieve, the leadership that makes it happen. Supervision, 75(6), pp. 11-12. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Business Source Complete.

This article discusses how the managers and leaders can implement business sustainability measures in their organisations. It looks at the importance of the implementation of changes at the management level and how the leadership is crucial to business sustainability.

  • Gans, J. (2016). Keep calm and manage disruption. MIT Sloan Management Review, 57(3), pp. 83-90. Retrieved from ProQuest ABI/INFORM.

How can businesses survive the trend of disruption and even gain from it? This article looks at the sense of fear which management views disruption, and discusses strategies on how businesses can avert or manage disruption.

  • Helft, M., Ohnsman, A. and Solomon, B. (2016, December). Uber’s bold move. Forbes, 198(9), pp. 58-74. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Business Source Complete.

This article examines the management of Uber Technologies Inc., looking at the strategies in which Uber’s management have implemented in the company to gain new ideas and grow the business from the point of view of a new company in the disruptive economy.

  • Marketline. (2016, July). Strategic focus report: Technology and market trends. Retrieved from MarketLine Advantage.

This report gives a detailed analysis of some of the recent information and communications technology (ICT) trends in the market, such as the advent of virtualisation technologies and cloud computing, and the opportunities and challenges which these trends may bring for business enterprises.

  • Mohr, S. and Khan, O. (2015, November). 3D printing and its disruptive impacts on supply chains of the future. Technology Innovation Management Review, 5(11). Retrieved from ProQuest ABI/INFORM.

This article looks at on the emerging trend of 3-Dimensional printing and how it can be potentially disruptive for businesses, particularly the supply chain, via a discussion of 7 impact areas.

  • Syahn, F., Mathiassen, L. and Lindgren, R. (2017, March). Embracing digital innovation in incumbent firms: How Volvo cars managed competing concerns. MIS Quarterly, 41(1), pp. 239-254. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Business Source Complete.

How can incumbent firms sustain their businesses in the modern digital economy? This article looks at this issue via the case study of Volvo and how the firm had addressed some of the challenges faced in the digital economy, such as digital innovation and collaboration.

Websites

This article looks at the differences between a leader and a manager by looking at 9 areas, including the ability to lead change, be unique, take risks and build and cultivate relationships.

  • Kenny, B. (2016, September 22). Innovation under constraint: Constructing a turnaround at Lego. Retrieved 23 January 2025 from Harvard Business School website: https://www.hbs.edu/

This website contains a podcast interview conducted with Professor Jan Rivkin, who discusses his case study of the Lego company and how it had responded and adapted to economic changes to avoid bankruptcy. The transcript of the interview is also available via the website.

This article gives an overview of business management in the face of the Big Data movement and how businesses can glean key information on market trends and users from big data and turn it into a business advantage.

This article explores the topic of diversity in the workplace, looking at 5 ways in which workers and leaders can better handle a diverse work environment and diversity amongst the staff.

This article examines the management’s role in leading organisational change in their firms, offering pointers which leaders can adopt and how these pointers can help to mitigate the challenges of organisational change.

Marketing and Advertising

Marketing describes the process of communicating the values and offerings of services or products, from the suppliers to customers. There are many theories and models in marketing and they evolve over time as technology advances and people’s definition of “value” and “demand” changes. Advertising is a subset of marketing. It covers the activities that attract public attention to the products, services or business.

Books

Call no.: RBUS 659.1 BAR

This book is a comprehensive guide on planning for an advertisement, looking at various aspects in the conceptualisation of advertisements including copy writing, advertising strategies, interactive and social media advertising, and evaluating advertisements.

Call no.: RBUS 658.8342 BLY

This book looks at consumer behavior and the motivations which influence how consumers make their decisions to give insights on how businesses can market their products and services.

Call no.: RBUS 658.8 MAR

The modern economy has altered the ways in which businesses can market their products and services. This book outlines some useful marketing strategies which businesses can adopt in the 21st century and beyond.

Call no.: RBUS 658.802 KIM

This book presents the blue ocean strategy, an approach which looks at helping businesses to grow by tapping on new market spaces instead of competing with rivals over a decreasing profit pool. This latest edition also offers new content such as updated case studies and new chapters.

Call no.: RBUS 658.8 KOT

This book provides comprehensive discussions of key principles in business marketing, including the trends and relevant impact factors.

Call no.: RBUS 658.827 PAR

This book examines the concepts of consumer psychology, marketing, consumer engagement and communication and their impacts to brand management. It includes real world examples and research on the topic as well.

Call no.: RBUS 658.802 VEN

This book gives a detailed view of marketing analytics, looking at three core areas- statistical analysis, experiments and managerial intuition. It not only provides technical notes and statistical information, but also case studies and hands-on examples to illustrate the techniques.

eBooks

This ebook details how companies can sustain and grow their businesses by creating “buying loops” via strategies which takes consumer behaviour and thinking into account to enhance customer experience.

  • Fromm, J. and Garton, C. (2013). Marketing to Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of Consumers Ever. New York: Amacom. Retrieved from NetLibrary (eBooks on EBSCOHost).

This ebook is a useful guide on how businesses can market their products and services to the millennials, which are becoming an increasingly larger segment of the market. It looks at 8 common attitudes which millennials have and how these can be used to effectively market a business.

  • Newman, D. (2013). Do It! Marketing: 77 Instant-Action Ideas to Boost Sales, Maximize Profits, and Crush Your Competition. New York: Amacom. Retrieved from NetLibrary (eBooks on EBSCOHost).

This ebook offers useful tips and strategies which businesses, particularly small or new businesses, can adopt to attract and engage customers and gain a competitive advantage against their competitors.

This ebook details how businesses can deliver a branded customer experience by providing tools which can be used by companies to create and deliver distinctive customer experiences via various channels.

Databases

  • DeMers, J. (2015, September). The definitive guide to marketing your business on YouTube. Forbes, p. 80. Retrieved from EBSCOHost Business Source Complete.

This article provides guidelines and tips on how businesses can market their products and services on the video-sharing website YouTube, such as how to utilise keywords in titles and descriptions to make marketing videos more searchable.

  • Gagnon, E. (2014). Forum: Are You Ready for the Post-Marketing Era? In the “Great Recession,” Marketing as Usual Isn’t Working. Here’s a Roadmap to the Changes Needed for Business

Survival. International Management Review, 10(1), pp. 63-67. Retrieved from ProQuest Central. This article gives a brief overview of the “post-marketing” era, where the digital age has rendered traditional marketing methods of raising awareness of businesses ineffective due to the accessibility of information from the internet and via smart devices.

  • Mazurek-Lopacinska, K. and Sobocinska, M. (2016). Marketing communication in the light of challenges brought about by virtualisation and interactivity. Economics and Business Review, 2(4), pp. 65-76. Retrieved from ProQuest Central.

This article looks at how marketing communications has changed in the digital age, particularly with new challenges in the form of virtualisation technology and growing interactivity brought about by social media and the internet.

  • Rollins, B., Anitsal, I. and Anitsal, M. M. (2014). Viral marketing: Techniques and implementation. Entrepreneurial Executive, 19, pp. 1-17. Retrieved from ProQuest Central.

This article examines the concept of viral marketing and provides businesses with information and tips on how they can start a successful viral marketing campaign.

Websites

This article outlines 6 strategies which businesses can use to convert search engine traffic to website visitorship and sales, including tips to make content more searchable, accessible and friendly for visitors.

This article looks at company and brand names and examines how an inappropriate name can negatively affect the branding for a business and cause it to lose customers.

This article lists 4 strategies which the writer, a former Chief Marketing Officer, has developed during his career to market a business. Although the strategies are useful for small businesses and start-ups, they can be applicable to larger businesses too.

This article contains 4 tips which businesses that are looking to embark on video marketing can use to make their video advertisements more engaging and effective.

This website provides an overview of business marketing for small businesses, looking at various aspects such as conducting market research, target marketing and marketing programmes. It also contains links to other marketing-related pages, including pages on how to develop a marketing plan, and email marketing.

Accessing National Library Board Singapore Resources

Accessing the Print Materials

You can search the library catalogue (for physical materials) in the library and from home (http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg). The easy search function allows you to search/browse by author, title, keyword, subject and ISBN/ISSN whereas the advanced search allows you to narrow your searches to specific media types or language holdings. In both instances, you will also be able to limit your search to specific libraries by clicking on the “limit by branch” option.

To search Lee Kong Chian Reference Library’s Holdings

If you wish to search for only materials available in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, please always click on the “Limit by Branch” button at the bottom of the page, after you have keyed in your search term. This brings you to a new page whereby you will be able to select the library of your choice. Choose “Lee Kong Chian Reference Library” and select “yes” under the “Display only items available in the selected branch below” and then click on search.

Things to note:

Once you have identified the title that you need, please double-check the following information and write down the necessary info:

i. The “Status” of the item: the item is not available in the library, if the status displayed is “in transit”, “in process” or “not ready for loan”.

ii. Double-check that the item is in Lee Kong Chian Reference Library under “Branch”.

iii. Write down the Location Code and the Call Number of the item. This helps you to locate the item within Lee Kong Chian Reference Library. Please refer to the table below for more information (Note: Please feel free to approach the counter staff for help in locating the books.)

All featured books and periodicals are located at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library.

Accessing the Databases

The National Library Board (NLB)’s eResources are free for all NLB members. Click here to find out how to register as a member.

If you’re having problems registering or logging in, please contact us. If you wish to find information in the databases but am not sure where to begin, or need recommendations on which databases to use, please use the “Ask A Librarian” function or send an email to ref@nlb.gov.sg for help. The librarian will get back to you within three working days.

Author

Pattarin Kusolpalin (Updated by) Goh Lee Kim

The information in this resource guide is valid as at Apr 2017 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2017.

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