LibGuides: Company Research Guide: PESTLE Analysis

What is a PESTLE Analysis?

PESTLE (sometimes PEST) is a framework for analyzing the external macro environment of a business or industry, usually specific to a particular country. PESTLE stands for:

P – Political
E – Economic
S – Social
T – Technological
L – Legal
E – Environmental

Use the resources listed on this page for conducting a PESTLE analysis, including:

analyzing a country's economic, business, political, legal and security risk
investigating the ease of doing business
assessing commercial opportunities and challenges
examining social, cultural and environmental issues

Additionally, search for articles in the databases on the Articles & Current News page of this guide.

Euromonitor Passport database

Euromonitor Passport
Euromonitor is a global market research database providing reports, analysis, insights, and statistics on consumers, industries, and countries.
Registration required: Bentley users must complete a short registration form the first time they access Euromonitor.

Recommended reports:

PEST ANALYSIS
Search tip: In the search box, type Pest Analysis [name of country]. For example: PEST Analysis USA

BUSINESS DYNAMICS REPORTS
Search tip: Click on [Economies] in the top navigation bar, then select [Business Dynamics]. In the [Latest Reports] section, click on View All. Use the filters on the left side of the page to start by selecting a geography. Browse the results and use additional filters as needed. Note: When choosing an analysis type, start with a Country Report (if available), then explore the other types of analysis.

EIU Viewpoint database

EIU Viewpoint
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Viewpoint provides political and economic analysis, forecasts, and data. Our subscription includes global and regional coverage as well as country analysis for 50 countries. Special curated themes allow users to browse the latest EIU coverage on those topics. An archive of past EIU reports (beginning with reports published in 1996) is also available.

Business Source Complete database

Business Source Complete (EBSCO)
This database provides access to country reports from a variety of sources including Country Profiles from MarketLine (which include In-depth PESTLE Insights); Country Monitor Reports from Business Monitor International (BMI); Country/Territory Reports from S&P Global (which present a country risk profile); and Country Reviews from CountryWatch (which include social and environmental overviews).

Search for a Country Report:

Enter a country name in the search box and click the magnifying glass to run your search.
On the Results Page, select the Source Type drop-down button under the search box and select Country Reports.

Browse for a Country Report:

Click on the [Country Reports] tile on the landing page.
Select a region, then choose a county.

Statista database

Statista

Search tip: Click on [Reports] in the top navigation bar, then select [Country & Region Reports]. Search for a country or region. Results will usually include Country Reports and Dossiers.

Doing Business In... Guides

These resources provide information on the ease of doing business and commercial opportunities, regulations, and business customs in a country:

Country Commercial Guides
Country Commercial Guides (also referred to as "doing business" guides) are published annually by U.S. embassies with the assistance of several U.S. government agencies. These reports present a comprehensive look at countries' commercial environments, using economic, political and market analysis. Free resource.

PwC: WorldWide Tax Summaries
From PwC: "this useful online tool will help you make informed decisions with the most up-to-date and relevant details about tax systems in more than 150 territories worldwide." Free resource.

Deloitte International Tax Guides
Deloitte provides a brief digest of the domestic and treaty tax rates of more than 130 jurisdictions. Each International Tax Guide provides an overview of the general investment landscape, corporate taxation and compliance, individual taxation and compliance, withholding rates, anti-avoidance rules, value-added tax (VAT; where applicable) and other types of taxes, and tax treaty information. Includes Quick Links to current news and other relevant resources. Free resource.

Country Profiles

Need some more background information? These are good resources for country profiles.

Europa World
Europa World provides profiles of over 250 countries and territories, including extensive sections on political history, foreign affairs, and economic affairs. Directory information on international and country-specific organizations, including government agencies, is also included.
World Factbook
Produced by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities. Free resource.
OECD Country Profiles
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) publishes economic surveys, comparative statistics, regular outlooks and annual overviews for its 34 member countries and some major additional countries. Free resource.