Original question:

Is anyone aware of the existance of a database that indexes case studies? I have a client interested in case studies involving doing business in Russia and the cross cultural differences involved. I have searched Worldbank.org and Harvard Business Review indivdually, but was wondering if a comprehensive source existed.

Posted on 7/15/2003 by Catherine Young, cyoung@edc.ca

There is a service from the University of Cranfield, UK called European Case Clearing House http://www.ecch.cranfield.ac.uk/. You can search case studies from many business schools (including Harvard Business School) at the same time.

When checking my Case Studies links section, I also located the Case Place: http://www.caseplace.org/. All my other links (Darden, Wharton) are individual links, not groupings to facilitate searching.

While not exactly Harvard Business School case studies, here is a good start for projects in Russia and FSU:
http://www.bisnis.doc.gov/bisnis/

BISNIS is the U.S. Government's primary market information center for U.S. companies exploring business opportunities in Russia and other Newly Independent States. BISNIS provides U.S. companies with the latest market reports and tips on developments, export and investment leads, and strategies for doing business in the NIS. Since opening in 1992, BISNIS has facilitated more than $3.2 billion worth of U.S. exports and overseas investments. They have 5,000+ market reports, searchable by key word.

Business Source Premier on Ebsco. Terrific database that is not often mentioned on this listserv! Catherine's note: Yup, I agree, although it seemed that the case studies I was retrieving were usually actual cases used to prove a point versus fictitious cases that had questions attached to them (although both are useful). I also used File 15 on Dialog which has a CaseStudy descriptor.

You might try searching LC or OCLC for the subdivision "Case studies" under the relevant subject heading. You might also try the relevant LC subject heading and combine with Russia as a keyword as it may pick up relevant case studies that are in the Table of Contents if the record has been enhanced with a TOC field.

When I worked in a business school library there were lots of textbooks on cross-cultural studies that had case studies in them (most of them at the time dealt with Asian case studies) and I think there was a journal commencing on this so you might check Ulrichs and find out where it is indexed and try that.

Also sometimes Chambers of Commerce have relevant tip brochures. The relevant US Govt Department (Trade?) may also have some advice.