CH - Business and Economics

1999

CH -- Business and Economics

World Guide to Trade Associations. München [et al.]: Saur. 30 cm. (Handbook of International Documentation and Information, 12). Previous title: Internationales Verzeichnis der Wirtschaftsverbände. [99-1/4-353]

5th ed. (1999). 2 vols. ISBN 3-598-20724-7: DM 996.00, DM 598.00 per volume.

Vol. 1. Trade Associations. xvii, 380 p.

Vol. 2. Chambers of Industry and Commerce. xviii, 606 p.

The reduction of entries from 31,000 in the 3d ed. (1985) to 22,000 in the 4th (1995), brought about by the elimination of chambers of industry and commerce, has now been reversed. All these chambers are to be found once again, consolidated in a new and separate volume 2. These and other changes to this work in its latest form are noted, though for lack of any explanation on the part of the compilers they seem arbitrary. Volume 1 is arranged alphabetically by country (184 according to the foreword), then by entity name--a total of 23,661 entries with comprehensive information collected by questionnaire. Volume 2 contains 11,814 entries drawn from 204 countries, broken down into three quite disparate categories: 10,743 nationally based organizations, then 841 binational ones, then finally 230 federations of organizations, generally divided by country and (for the first two categories) by locality.

It is disturbing that although the number of organizations covered has increased relatively slightly in comparison to the 3d ed. of 1985, the price has more than doubled. It is also small consolation that the volumes can be acquired separately, but at an additional surcharge of DM 100 each vis-à-vis the price one would expect to pay based on the price for the "complete" edition. [sh/jg]

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