Social factors have an impact on decisions to invest in a foreign country. Consider cultural values, including attitude toward work, customs and beliefs and characteristics of the population, such as social class and educational attainment. Look at population demographics and forecasts of population growth as well. When researching prospects for a particular industry, research consumer lifestyles and buying habits.
Social Indicators
- Human Development ReportAn independent, analytically and empirically grounded discussions of major development issues, trends and policies published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Social Indicators: United NationsTables of the latest indicators of social development for housing, health, education, illiteracy, income and economic activity, youth and elderly population, urban and rural population, and unemployment.
- Social Progress IndexAn aggregate index of social and environmental indicators that capture three dimensions of social progress: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity.
- UNESCO Institute for StatisticsThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute provides statistical data & country profiles that focus on four themes: culture and communications, education, literacy, and science and technology.
Development Indicators
- Human Development IndexThe United Nation's (UN's) Human Development Index measures poverty, health, education, gender, environment and other factors. This website includes country reports, data and news.
- World Bank Open DataData for development indicators for countries and country groups. Includes social, economic, financial, natural resources, and environmental indicators. Search by "Country or ""Indicator."
Culture & Customs
- Country Comparison ToolProfessor Geert Hofstede, Professor Emeritus of Organizational Anthropology and International Management at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, conducted one of the most comprehensive studies of how values in the workplace are influenced by culture. Five dimensions are used to measure the values that distinguished countries from each other.
- Country InsightsAnswers to questions about business culture, customs & communication from the Canadian Centre for Intercultural Learning.
- Kwintessential Country Guides & ProfilesBasic facts on the social life, customs & business etiquette of countries.
Human Rights
- Business & Human Rights Resource CenterBrowse by "Countries" for articles and reports on issues related to discrimination, the environment, poverty, health, and security. Also find company news, reports and correspondence.
- Country Reports on Human Rights PracticesU.S. Department of State reports that cover internationally recognized individual civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments.
- International Religious Freedom ReportAnnual report to Congress on International Religious Freedom. Describes the status of religious freedom in each foreign country, government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and U.S. policies to promote religious freedom around the world.