MNGT 483 – Prof. Y. Ji
Human Resources Research
September 11, 2009
Ms. Shana Gass, MSLS
Reference Librarian
sgass@towson.edu
This presentation highlights some of the key
sources for your term project.
Click the screenshots to try sites/databases.
For additional sources, see the Research
Guide:
• http://pages.towson.edu/sgass/courses
> MNGT > 483
> Researching HR Management & Strategy
Where are they now? ( & why?)
• 1971 – SWA starts flying
• 1994 – Fortune cover story, Is Herb Kelleher
America’s best CEO?
• 1998 – Nuts published
• 2000 – Hidden Value published
• 2009 -- ???
A Great Place to Work?
Q: Where can I find out more
about my company & its HR
Strategy over the last decade?
A: Try the library databases for
news and analysis of your
company over this time period.
Cook Library Web Site:
http://cooklibrary.towson.edu
…and Subject Gateways:
http://cooklibrary.towson.edu/management
http://cooklibrary.towson.edu/humanresources
Note: “Quick
Search” for
Articles
searches only in
general -- not
business –
databases.
You’ll need
more info for
this project!
Get into the Databases
from Off-Campus!
• Click Towson University
• Log in with 14-digit number from front of
TU OneCard + last name
Q: What’s going on with my company now?
(news, stock performance, # of employees,
etc.)
A: Try Factiva Build-a-Report
Factiva* – Build a Report & More
*Available from the Management Subject Gateway.
Q: Where can I find information
about my company’s overall
strategy?
Strategy Source: Annual Report/10K*
*for public companies only
For Strategy – look for “Letter to Shareholders” section.
Management Discussion & Analysis
Strategy from the Horse’s Mouth:
Finding Interviews in Library Databases
• In Factiva:
– Select Company
– Select: Subject > Content Type > Interview
– To narrow further: Type a keyword in the Free text box
• In Business Source Complete [on Mngt & HR Gateways]:
– Use Advanced Search
– Type company name in one box (you may select field: CO
Company Entity)
– Type interview* in another box
[the * lets you find interview, interviews,
interviewing, etc.]
– To narrow, add terms in additional boxes
More Research Challenges
• Corporate web site is not an intranet
• HR “behind the scenes”
• Search term vs. concept
Example: horizontal alignment
“Get” the concepts, use your imagination, and be ready to
read! Not all concepts make good search words.
• “Lay” term vs. subject assigned by database
Example:
Layoff vs. Employees – Dismissal of
• Euphemisms / jargon
Again, think of all the different ways to say
“layoffs”
Develop “synonym power” and be flexible in your
searching!
Industry Interlude
• Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage database Industry Surveys
(includes an archive back to ~1998)
• ValueLine Investment Surveys database
• Industry Association web pages
– Example: Air Transport Association
What Do You Want to Know?
• What, where, when?
Newspapers, news magazines, newswires;
trade publications reporting on an industry
• How should I…?
Practitioner (“professional”) publications
(often categorized with trade publications)
• Why? What would happen if…?
Scholarly AKA Academic AKA Peer-Reviewed
Journals
All of these kinds of publications can be found in the library databases.
(Individual databases may vary in the mix of publications.)
Background on HR Topics:
Sage Reference Online*
Articles in Sage Reference Online include useful lists of “further reading” –
often scholarly -- to deepen your understanding of the topics.
* Available on MNGT & HR Subject Gateways
Chasing Down Citations on “Further
Reading” & Other Bibliographies - I
Cascio, W. F. (2002). Responsible restructuring:
Creative and profitable alternatives to layoffs.
(2002). San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler and the
Society for Human Resource Management.
• This is a book. (Note place of publication info.)
Search for title in Books + (catalog search) on
library web site.
Chasing Down Citations - II
Leana, C. R., Feldman, D. C., and Tan, G. Y. (1998).
Predictors of coping behavior after a lay-off.
Journal of Organizational Behavior, 19(1), 85–97.
• This is a journal article. Note volume/issue info.
• First, search for the title of the journal in the
Journal List on the library web site. Check the
date coverage. If available online, click link & drill
down/search to find article.
Finding Articles: RDS Business Suite*
• Articles from: Business magazines,
newspapers, trade publications, statistics
(in TableBase section)
• Business & Management Practices section
great for articles on how company operates,
including their HR practice!
* Available from MNGT Subject Gateway
RDS: Steps to Search Business &
Management Practices
• Click Advanced Search
• Uncheck other databases, leaving Business &
Management Practices checked
• Select Department: Human Resources
• Type company name, and/or select industry
• Search
• Enjoy HR-specific articles on your
company/industry!
Finding Articles:
Business Source Complete
• What You’ll find in BSC:
– Newspaper articles
(Wall Street Journal – citations only. To access
complete articles, click FindIt button)
– Trade publication articles
– Scholarly articles
– Company Profiles & SWOTs
– Industry Profiles
Finding Articles:
Business Source Complete*
* Available from MNGT & HR Subject Gateways
BSC Tips
• Try a simple search, then narrow by document
type, subject, on the left side
• Don’t simply string search words together:
– Connect essential concepts with the word and
– Connect synonyms with or
• Keep an eye out for the subjects that tag an
article – useful to plug in to your search as
appropriate
• Try Advanced Search for more precision & power!
Sample Advanced Search in BSC
Finding a SWOT in BSC
#1: Searched for a company
#2: Then Narrow to SWOT Analyses
Click box, then
PDF icon to see a
sample SWOT!
Cross-Searching Multiple Databases
• Choose databases link in EBSCO databases
• Some useful non-biz databases in EBSCO:
–
–
–
–
ERIC
PsychINFO
SocINDEX
Communication & Mass Media Complete
• Off Campus Access link from library web site
(Research Port) also has cross-searching
capability – worth a try.
Finding Articles: Emerald*
• Electronic journals
from publisher
Emerald,
all in full text
• Rich source of
scholarly articles
• Be sure to choose
“My subscribed
content” before
searching
* Available from HR Subject Gateway
See a Sample Search in Emerald
http://screencast.com/t/hWdfRVDkNc
Questions?
Shana Gass
Reference Librarian for Management
Cook Library, Towson University
sgass@towson.edu / 410-704-2395
Thanks and good luck!