A couple years ago I collaborated with our Interactive Arts & Technology Librarian on a series of posts about one of the "wicked problems" of our modern world: sustainability in the textile & fashion industries.

That series was published to support an interdisciplinary cohort of students in our Business of Design program, all of whom were working on projects to change the way fashion and its materials are designed, produced, purchased, and discarded... change of the sort that our world so desperately needs.

The word "change" is key here. The Business of Design program has changed to Make Change Studio, but the students involved are still trying to change the world, and they've returned to the topic of fixing fast fashion.

<Read on for an update and expansion of the original posts on fixing fast fashion!>

One of our marketing classes (BUS 345 E100) is going to be doing some primary research on alternative protein products & consumers again this semester.

In support of that class, I've listed some key resources, but students in other classes may also want to use this post as a case study to learn about some of the powerful market research tools available to SFU researchers.  Bon appetite!

<Read on for a menu of delicious databases! >

A couple of our marketing classes are going to be doing some primary research on alternative protein products & consumers this semester.

In support of those classes, I've listed some key resources, but students in other classes may also want to use this post as a case study to learn about the powerful market research tools available to SFU researchers.  Bon appetite!

<Read on for a menu of delicious databases! >

SFU researchers received a very early Christmas present on Sept. 25th... our powerful Passport database has a new home page!

I know what you're thinking: a new home page is no big deal, right? We'd all much rather get new content and put up with a slightly dated interface... no?  

Normally, I'd completely agree -- content is king! -- except ... <Read on for details!>

Secondary market research is hard.  Sometimes really hard. Maybe you knew that already?  

You never quite find exactly what you need, so you're constantly searching for information that is close enough to form a foundation for an estimate.  That's generally doable when you're dealing with a major economy such as the USA, Canada, or China, but it gets a lot more difficult when you are researching a market in a developing country such as El Salvador or Ghana... 

Which makes today's news particularly exciting (for me, at least!).

Our Passport market research database is expanding its coverage to include 20 emerging markets... Read on for details!

I just came across a great tip sheet from the Journalists' Resource: Free tools for visualizing economic data.

The title is pretty much self explanatory. I thought I'd mention it here because doing so gives me a chance to talk about the hot topic of data visualization and the indispensable Journalists' Resource...

Our BUS 345 students are going to be doing some taste tests again this semester, and this time the focus is on cheese!

Regular BUEC Buzz readers may recall a post I wrote in September on a feature in our Passport database that would allow you to model the forecasted effects of a Trump victory on a number of economic measures in the US, Canada, and beyond.  

Well, now that the victory is in the bag and the effects are imminent, I thought I'd follow up to mention that Passport added a report this morning that digs into the details... <more>

In our current era of information overload, information loses value.

Not that long ago we could only dream of having fingertip access to all the stats and facts that are burying us now. Yet what we really need now, and what we are even willing to pay for, are tools that will pre-gather and pre-analyze the information for us.  [...]

It's in that light that I'd like to highlight a new feature in our super-popular Passport database: Natural Resources

"Passport Natural Resources uncovers the resource landscape in 210 countries globally. It offers up-to-date and relevant insights on the supply and demand of natural resources, as well as the challenges and opportunities stemming from natural resources and sustainability issues.   <more>

Back in August, I mentioned Macro Model, a new macroeconomic modeling tool in our Passport database that allows you to model the effect of major events (e.g., a Disorderly Brexit or a recession in China) on various national economies (see: Modeling major economic events for your strategic planning).

I couldn't resist a quick update: As of today, the Macro Model tool now includes a Donald Trump scenario among the events that you can build into your modeling...