Accountancy, Finance and Risk

Search for books and ebooks in the library catalogue. If you only want to look for ebooks, tick the 'Search only electronic books' box.

Use our single search system to search our books, eBooks, journal content and selected other resources. Don't use Internet Explorer with Discover, it does not display full text journal articles properly. Use Firefox or Google Chrome.

You can search serials solutions to check if we have a journal in stock and which years we have. Search by the journal title. Don't use Internet Explorer, use Firefox or Google Chrome - Explorer does not work well with serials solutions when displaying the full text of journal articles.

If you need an item for your coursework, teaching or research, and we don't have it in stock, you can request it through our new inter-library loan (ILL) service, Clio.
For requests for UK theses, please search the Ethos database at http://ethos.bl.uk/ (more information is on their frequently asked questions, FAQs page)

Requesting an inter-library loan

Please remember :

• Before you make a request, check our catalogue (for books) or our serials system (for journals), the Mitchell Library and other local university catalogues. You might be able to consult the item in a library nearby.
• Students need authorisation from their lecturer. (Some Schools need staff requests to be authorised too - check with your library representative.)
• You can normally borrow an item for 3 weeks with an automatic extension for a further 3 weeks. However if the British Library asks us to return it immediately we must do so or risk losing our right to borrow.
• If you are a Midwifery student on a distance learning course, enter Midwifery Department Office, GCU as your address.

Inter-Library Loans has now moved to a new online requesting system, Clio. Here's how to use it.

Getting your citations right is an important part of academic research. It helps you to avoid plagiarism and a good bibliography will help boost your final marks. Your librarians can help you use RefWorks to store your references and create a bibliography. 
Your academic development tutors will help you with manual referencing. The referencing guideleines are on Blackboard. You will also find Turnitin there.

• Harvard referencing - this is part of SMILE, so you will need to log in to GCULearn
• NLM journal title translator - enter abbreviations to find the full journal titles
• What is plagiarism? - this is part of SMILE, so you will need to log in to GCULearn
• RefWorks - store and organise your references and produce bibliographies.
• RefWorks FAQ - for all those tricky RefWorks questions!
• RefWorks handy hints - how to add data from all the main databases into RefWorks
• Short videos from RefWorks. They use sound, so use your headphones!
• Workthrough guides to RefWorks  - these are part of SMILE, so you will need to log in to GCULearn.

 Law

GCU uses the most recent edition (2010) of OSCLOA - the Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities.  This is a very comprehensive guide which takes you through the format for citing many types of information sources that you may use in your legal writing - including case reports, journal articles, books, updating services, government reports, web sites and more. 

• OSCOLA guide  (quick version)
• Full OSCOLA guide
• American Psychological Association Referencing Tutorial created by Cardiff University Information Services.

• A journal, sometimes called a periodical or serial, is published regularly – for example, weekly, monthly or twice a year. So it's a good way of getting up-to-date news and research on a subject. Each new issue has a number of articles written by different people.
• So far, this could also apply to magazines. However, journals are aimed at readers with a more serious interest in the subject.
• Trade journals are written for professionals in that area, for example, Management today or Industrial engineer.
• Scholarly journal articles are written by academics for an audience that is mainly academic. These journals are not usually glossy magazines, and there is usually a list of references at the end of each article. The editors will usually include staff at universities, other academic institutions, hospitals, or learned societies.
• Peer-reviewed journals (also called refereed journals) give all articles sent to them to a panel of academic reviewers. The members of this panel will be peers of the author, that is, recognised experts in the same field. The panel usually review the papers blind, which means that they do not know who the authors are. Panel members may recommend changes to the articles to make them fit for publication. For example, they might say that the author should provide more evidence of an argument or read other material.
• So, peer-reviewed or refereed journals provide quality control for academic publishing. You can look inside the front or back cover of a journal, or its home page on the web, to check whether it is peer-reviewed.
• Some library databases, for example ProQuest, make it easy to select scholarly journals only.
• An electronic journal (or e-journal) is one which is available on the web. Sometimes there is both a printed (paper or a hard copy) and an electronic version of a journal.

We have a step by step checklist for you.

You will need an Athens password to use these databases, you can find it on My Caledonian.
Remember, Athens is not a web site, you need to go to the individual databases and use your Athens username and password to log in there! 
If the database you need is not on this page, go to the full A-Z database list in the Search for menu.

Remeber, if you want to read the full text of journal articles easily, use Firefox or Google Chrome, not Internet Explorer.

General databases - start here:

• Emerald - indexes over 450 journals (most of this content is now covered in Proquest Central)
• Proquest Central- The best place to start your search, includes ABI Inform, Accounting and Tax, Banking Information source, Hoover's company records,Asian business and reference, European Business and the Snapshot series. Check newspapers for M&A information.
• InfoTRac Custom Journals - formerly European Business ASAP

Finance and marketing databases:

• Bankscope - banking information
• EconPapers - Economics journal articles and working papers.
• FAME - Financial analysis made easy. Good for company information.
• World Economic Outlook Database - Assumptions and Data Conventions

Other databases

• BSI - BSI: Standards, Training, Testing, Assessment & Certification. You will need an Athens password.
• CSA Illumina - Search the social science area for many useful databses including: ASSIA, IBSS, PhycInfo and more.
• JSTOR - Full text of some economics and social science journals. Most recent 2-3 years of each title is not included.
• LGCnet - The database uses its own password, get it from My Caledonian. Click the Athens tab, then password information. News, a directory and other information and statistics on local government.
• Corporate criticThe database uses its own password, get it from My Caledonian. Click the Athens tab, then password information. Helps you check the ethical and environmental performance of companies.
• Planex - find articles on all the subject areas of local public policy and governance, such as: economic development, housing, tourism and leisure, local government management.
• Web of Knowledge, Social Science Citation Index
• Zetoc - references to articles from 20,000 journals and conference proceedings held in the British Library.

Useful journals

• FT.com - Financial Times. On campus access only, no password required. Company, stock market, technology etc news. Free annual report service
• McKinsey Quarterly - Online Business Journal of McKinsey & Company. Business Management Strategy - Corporate Strategy - Global Business Strategy. You need to register

Your librarians are here to help you with questions about finding information. We are happy to help, but before you call us, have a look at some of the helpsheets and tutorials on this page! You may find what you need to know here.
You can also contact your Academic Development Tutor.

We have short guides to the main databases plus links to other training materials directly from the suppliers

 All of our workthrough guides and online tutorials are now in the finding information section of SMILE. You will need to log in to GCULearn to use them.

Accounting and Finance web sites

• AccountingWeb - online community for accountants from the Sift Group.
• Deloitte financial services in 2010
• Impact - The Insurance Information Institute's magazine.
• International insurance factbook.
• ABGweb - Auditing and accounting standards. Log in to my caledonian, click the athens tab and look for password information there
• Encyclopedia of corporate governance
• Dictionary of Accounting
• Corporate governance handbook - Log in to my caledonian, click the athens tab and look for password information there.
• Economist intelligence unit
• A firm foundation - how insurance supports the economy
• Jobs in accountancy
• Project finance portal from Harvard Business School
• Tutor2u - source of free study resources on accountancy, economics, business and politics.
• UK taxation directory - by 7Soft. A large set of links updated regularly.
• XE - The World's Favorite Currency and Foreign Exchange Site

Banking and Finance web sites

• Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
• BSA building Societies Association
• Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers (CSCB)
• The Financial Reporting Council with its subsidiaries, the Accounting Standards Board (ASB) and the Financial Reporting Review Panel (FRRP) together make up an organisation whose purpose is to promote and secure good financial reporting.
• France: AMF Autoritee des marchees financiers
• Financial Services agency - Japan
• Hong Kong securities and investments commission
• FinanceLink.co.uk - UK personal finance directory.
• Institute of financial services
• The Motley Fool stock investing advice
• National Association of Pension Funds - The voice of employer - Sponsored pension provision.
• The Pensions Institute
• International Financial Services London
• Swiss Federal Banking Commission
• IAS Plus links to IFRS related websites

Professional associations

• Associaion of British Insurers ABI
• CIPFA Chartered institute of public finance
• Council of mortgage lenders
• Chartered institute of bankers in Scotland
• ACCA - the global body for professional accountants. Has many full text publications.
• Association of corporate treasurers ACT
• BBA British bankers association
• CII Chartered insurance institute
• British insurance brokers association BIBA
• BAFA British accounting and finance association
• CCAB Consultative committee of accountancy
• Chartered institute of management
• GARP Global association of risk professionals
• Institute of chartered accountants in England and Wales
• Institute of chartered accountants in Scotland
• The institute of risk management
• Risk and insurance management society
• Risk management institution of Australasia
• Society of insurance research
• Society for risk analysis

Scottish web sites

• Audit Scotland carries out audits for the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission.
• Improvement Service: devoted to improving the efficiency, quality and accountability of public services in Scotland through learning and sharing information and experiences. news, a directory and other information and statistics on local government. Log in to my caledonian, click the athens tab and look for password information there.
• Scottish government

English web sites

• Bank of England
• Bank of England statistics

UK web sites

• Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)
• Department of education
• Financial services authority
• Economic trends
• Directgov - UK government web site
• DEFRA
• HM treasury
• HSE health and safety executive
• Investors in people
• Low pay commission
• Equality and human rights commission
• National audit office
• Keeping track - guide to longitudinal data
• NOMIS - official labour market statistics
• Office of public sector information
• Social trends
• UK department for business, innovation and skills
• UK national statistics publication hub
• UK company M&A information
• UK regulator of work-based pension schemes
• UK data archive and how to use it

 International:

• Bank for international settlements 
• European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
• European agency for health and safety at work
• European industrial relations observatory
• Gender and employment - areas of work
• Eurostat
• International labour organisation - access to LABORSTA Official documents from EU
•  US census bureau
• World bank data catalog

For this you need to use a gateway. They search only quality assured web sites. Here are our favourites:

• Blogpulse
• Business information on the internet
• Biznar finds articles and grey literature as well as web sites
• BUBL 
• BUBL link banking
• Google scholar
• Moneyweb
• Moneyextra
• Qualistream banking and finance
• RBA Business Information Sources
• SCOTBIS Scottish Business Information Service
• Yahoo finance
• Zanran  Search engine for data and statistics

Law:

• BAILII British and irish case law and legislation and European Union case law.
• Legal resources in the U.K. and Ireland Includes a good Scottish resources page.
• Scottish Law OnlineUseful unofficial site of Scottish law resources.
• AccesstoLaw.com U.K., Commonwealth and World law links and resources, selected and annotated by the Inner Temple Library.
• Infolaw Gateway to U.K. legal information.Institute of Advanced Legal Studies eagle-1-serviceSearchable database of global legal information.
• BUBL - Law
• intute: Law
• Lawlinks – University of Canterbury
  Includes Legal Profession
  and free online law dictionaries

Social sciences:

• CASS - Centre for applied social surveys
• The Gateway to 21st Century Skills. US site.
• Open JGate Free full text of over 3000 journals
• Organisations, Work & Care: Policies and practices of care in business
• SISA allows you to do statistical analysis directly on the Internet.
• Social Science Data on the Internet Search or browse our listing of 363 Internet sites of numeric Social Science statistical data, data catalogs, data libraries, social science gateways, addresses and more.

Company directories

• Aberdeenshire business network
• British Companies
• Chamber of Commerce - Isle of Mull
• Company directory
• Companies House
• Corporate information
• Business net (Edinburgh)
• Fife internet business directory 
• Import export and international trade leads
• Industrial Quick Search directory (US site)
• Infobel world phone directories
• Insolvency service
• Kompass company search engine
• Glasgow business database
• Lanarkshire business
• Mint portal (wordwide data)
• Federation of small businesses directory
• Yell.com UK local business search engine
• Official notices filed by companies in Great Britain

Annual reports

• CAROL - company annual reports online
• Companies UK company fundamentals: free service from Hemmington Scott. Information on UK fully listed and AIM companies
• EDGAR - many US companies offer their annual reports free on this site
• Northecote internet - Free research tool links you to listed company information
• Precision IR - free annual reports
• SCoRE - a national catalogue of company annual reports held in UK libraries. In some cases collections go back to the 1930s

Company rankings

• Baseline's 100 smartest companies
• Gary Price's list of lists - very diverse list of rankings, even though it has an American bias
• FT global 500

Case studies

• Case studies - council of supply chain management professionals
• Case studies (WBCSD)
• Mind your business archive - case studies explore worldwide topical issues and examine the theoretical background implied by the issue. Exam type questions are included with outline marking schemes
• Thunderbird school of global management - sample copies of around 200 international management case studies
• Times 100 case studies
• How to read company accounts a guide from BBC's working lunch programme

Mergers and acquisitions

• FT.com mergermarket
• Competition commission - replaced the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on 1 April 1999. It conducts inquiries into monopolies, mergers and the regulation of utility companies, and hears appeals concerning infringements of the Competition Act 1998. Its coverage includes retail and the food chain
• InvestEgate - free site, select mergers from drop-down menu on news page
• Thomson Reuters deals intelligence - Free service, you will need to register to use it

Share prices

• FT.com - market data section; quotes of around 3,000 equities traded on the London market; also companies traded on other exchanges. End of day prices for 8,000 shares worldwide. Subscriber sections (marked with R in blue circle) are only accessible on campus
• Free portfolio
• BigCharts - has UK stocks going back 10 years. If you use the Java chart option you can get a closing price for any day of the period by clicking on the chart. You can also compare the stock's performance against major indices
• London stock exchange
• PLUS stock exchange - over 1,000 small and mid-cap company shares currently trade on the PLUS market
• Stock markers and share price information
• Google finance
• World federation of exchanges - has a wide range of statistics of the fifty-five member stock exchanges, along with information on the various exchanges and links to related information
• Yahoo finance

Country profiles

• BBC country profiles
• Country reports
• Eurostat country profiles
• GlobalEDGE
• GMID global market information database
• ESDA Economic and social data service
• International monetary fund
• IHS global insight - includes up-to-date assessment of political, economic, legal, tax, operational and security risks in 186 countries. Off campus a password is required
• One world guides
• Global technology forum - monitors e-business readiness of countries worlwide
• OECD - choose browse by country
• Portals to the world - Library of Congress
• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Industry directories

• A-Z of Scotch Whisky Information
• British beer and pub association
• Confederation of paper industries
• Deloitte retail - includes white papers publications such as a profile of the 200 largest retailers in the world
• European commission industry profiles
• Karen Blakeman's inductry sector guides
• Tobacco.org
• tobaccopapers.com - you can search, view and download over 650 documents from the UK tobacco industry's main   advertising agencies ranging from 1994 to 1999
• Tescopoly - an alliance of organisations concerned with the negative aspect of supermarket power
• UNIDO.org - United Nations Industrial Development Organization - statistical information on industries
• Trade association forum

Scottish Economy

• Scottish Annual Business Statistics - profiles of industry sectors in Scotland.
• Scottish Economic Report - the Scottish Executive also publish many other statistics and publications.
• Fraser of Allander Quarterly Economic Commentary - also in print at 330.05 F70. Includes brief appraisal and forecasts for various sectors of the Scottish economy and overview of the labour market.
• Scottish Business Insider - only the main feature article of current issue is online.  We have the journal in print, located in Compact Shelving on Level 0 at 338.09411005 S16.
• Scottish Affairs - list of articles in this journal from Autumn 1992 onwards; full text in print at Compact Shelving on Level 0 at 320.9411005 S15.
• Scottish Council for Development and Industry - publishes results of research surveys online (Policy & information section of their web site).
• Scottish Economy - in print in Compact Shelving on Level 4 at R330.94110856 S15. Monthly report from Mackay Consultants. Includes Scottish GDP estimates, unemployment levels by Scottish region, a brief overview of recent economic developments and prospects.
• CBI Quarterly Scottish Industrial Trends Survey - in print in Compact Shelving Level 4 at R338.9411 C12.
• New Business Statistics - from the Scottish Clearing Banks.
• Caledonian Blue Book 1997. National accounts for Scotland 1951-96 - in print at R339 3411 C11 and 339.3411 C10.
• Statistical Accounts for Scotland - free access ; published 1791-9 and 1845.
• Scottish Enterprise
• Scottish Poverty Information Unit

UK Economy

• National Statistics - wide variety of official government statistics on the UK economy.
• HM Treasury - includes annual Budget report and a range of Economic data and tools, giving GDP and forecasts for the UK economy.
• British Economy Survey - back issues of this journal 1999 -2001 online. It is a good source of articles on British economy. Current issues available in print at 330.941005 B70.
• Consumer and Retail prices indexes - guide and links
• LloydsTSB Corporate Economic research - variety of news and surveys.
• Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Competition Commission
• Office of Fair Trading
• UK Data Archive - digital data in the social sciences in the UK.
• MIMAS - provide researchers and teachers in UK Higher Education Institutions with online access to a range of strategic datasets, including Census Data. Once only registration is required.

European economy

• European Economy - monthly journal in print at 330.94005 E79
• European Economy supplements: A:Recent economic trends in print at 330.94005 E81 B : Business and economic surveys - in print at 330.94005 E81
• The Euro - euro information site set up by Central European Bank; brief information for all types of users.
• European Central Bank Statistics Pocket Book - wide variety of statistics about the "euro area".  Download area of the Bank site has more monetary, financial markets and balance of payments statistics.
• Harmonised indexes of Consumer Prices

World Economy

• ESDS International part of  Economic and Social Data Service. It is free. The macro databanks contain socio-economic time series data for a range of countries. They contain current statistical information from organisations such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development and the United Nations. Topics covered include national accounts, industrial production, employment, trade, energy,demography, human development and other indicators of national performance and development. The micro databanks contain survey information from groups of individuals within a number of different countries. International micro datasets such as Eurobarometer, International Social Survey Programme and the European and World Values Surveys cover a range of social science topics including household and demographic information, income, employment, education and housing. The macro databanks often contain secondary data derived from primary micro data sources.
• Infonation - two-step database that allows you to view and compare the most up-to-date statistical data for the Member States of the United Nations.
• International Financial Statistics (1972-) in print in Compact Shelving on Level 4 at R332.1505 I56 monthly international statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. For most countries of the world, also includes data on exchange rates, international liquidity, money and banking, international transactions, prices, production, government finance and interest rates.
• International Monetary Fund - includes country reports.
• International Labour Office - provides access to some free publications and to LABORSTA, a database of labour statistics.
• OECD - including free summaries of Economic Surveys of various countries. From the Home page, browse by country. Also international statistics on wide variety of topics.
• Statistical Data Locators - lists web sites giving statistics for countries worldwide
• World Bank - many publications and statistics.
• World Competitiveness Yearbook - on CD ROM. Also in print in Compact Shelving on Level 4 at R338.6048 I57.
• World Economic and Social Survey - from United Nations.
• World Economic Outlook - published by International Monetary Fund.
• World Trade Organisation
• Yahoo list of government statistical offices

Other useful web sites

• Current value of old money - a list of web sites, allowing comparisons of purchasing power over periods of time.
• EDIRC - economics departments, institutes and research centers in the world.
• Intute tutorial internet for Economists - a free "teach yourself" tutorial
• Lancaster University Management School 
• London School of Economics Research Centres : RLAB,CASE, CEP, FMG, STICERD - working papers online.
• OECD - from Home page, choose "Documentation" (top of screen) for a complete list of working papers ( and other publications) or choose a Theme first and then "Documentation".
• Public Administration of the Economy (including Public-Private Partnerships) - a list of web sites compiled by Intute.
• RePEc - access to working papers in economics from over 45 countries.
• Social Science Research Network - includes free access to working papers in economics and accounting.
• Timeweb - selection of time series databanks plus materials to help you develop effective data-handling skills.

The research web pages have more useful tips for more advanced researchers, as well as useful links to help you develop advanced information skills. We are here to help you all the way through your research project, so keep in touch!

 We have written a new online information literacy tutorial called PILOT which is aimed at postgraduate and post-doctoral researchers. It has in depth information on various topics, including a section called MyRI which tells you everything you need to know for the REF. You'll find it in GCULearn, so you'll need to log in.

• ARCOM - Association of Researchers for Construction Management
• How to assess a research article
• Calculate your H-index with the Web of Knowledge (quick guide, more information on PILOT)
• ClinicalTrials.gov
• CORDIS: The gateway to European research and development
• Innovol - research database
• Journal Citation Reports Find journal impact fators and citation information for the REF
• Library research pages 
• NIHR CRN CC - Welcome to the NIHR Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre
• RDInfo - support services for researchers
• Research@GCU GCU Research repository
• Welcome to Research Councils UK - RCUK
• Research Excellence Framework (REF), replaces the RAE
• Sconul Access will allow you access to, and limited borrowing from, other UK libraries
• Search tips for researchers
• Systematic reviewing
• Trip Database
• UK Clinical Trials Gateway (UKCTG)
• The Web 2 rights project

UK and England:

Scotland:

• Scottish Government includes links to social enterprise/economic topics
• DTA Scotland (Development Trusts Association Scotland)
• SENSCOT Connects Scotland's estimated 3000 social entrepreneurs for the purpose of information sharing, joint working and support
• Social Firms Scotland
• ScotlandUnltd Financial and development support for individuals with entrepreneurial solutions to social problems
• Futurebuilders Scotland Programme Entrepreneurial funding for social enterprise projects

General web sites

• Archangel Informal Investment  - Scotland's leading business angel syndicate.
• British Venture Capital Association Dedicated to promoting the venture capital industry in the UK for the benefit of entrepreneurs, investors, venture capital practitioners and the economy as a whole.
• Businesslink - information for those starting up or already running a small business, from the UK government's Small Business Service
• CORDIS - Community Research and Development Information Service of the European Union.  "can help you to participate in EU funded research programmes, find partners and transfer your innovative ideas". 
• e-Venturing - resources for entrepreneurs selected by Ewing Marion Kaufmann Foundation Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (US).
• European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association - promotes private equity to investors, entrepreneurs, policy makers and industry.
• Federation of Small Businesses
• LINC Scotland - independent not-for-profit organisation acting as the national business angel network for Scotland
• National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship - US organisation, whose regularly updated site includes full text research reports
• The Saltire Foundation
• Scottish Institute for Enterprise - provides programmes to help students develop into entrepreneurs.
• Technology Scotland - aims to support knowledge transfer and innovation in Scotland.

SEC (Science Entreperise Challange) Centres

• Centre for Scientific Enterprise - joint venture between University College London and London Business School
• Imperial College Entrepreneurship Centre
• Manchester Science Enterprise Centre
• Mercia Institute of Enterprise - consortium of West Midlands Universities
• North East Centre for Scientific Enterprise - links the universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teeside
• Northern Ireland Centre for Enterpreneurship
• Oxford Science Enterprise Centre
• RED - Research & Enterprise Development - University of Bristol
• Scottish Institute for Enterprise - partnership of Scottish universities including Glasgow Caledonian
• University of Cambridge Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning
• University of Nottingham Institute for Enterprise and Innovation
• Centre for Studies in Enterprise, Career Development and Work - mission is to ensure that young people in Scotland are thoroughly prepared to enter the world of work and that education industry links and enterprise education are widely used to enhance the curriculum
• Harvard Business School Entrepreneurial Management Unit

Other useful sites

• Social Enterprise Magazine and related information.
• Harvard Business School leading international academic grouping on social enterprise
• New Economics