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Ask Jane Applegate
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August 18, 1999: 12:59 p.m. ET
Seeking country-specific information; setting an employee dress code
By Jane Applegate
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Dear Jane: I want to prepare a full economic report on Guyana. Where can I get some help?
There are many great sources of information for country-specific research. One of my favorite Web sites for this type of information is Exporthotline.com. This extensive site features a variety of timely financial and cultural information for business owners looking into doing business abroad.
You also can register your company to be posted on the site's comprehensive business-to-business directory. Through the directory, companies in other countries can contact you to purchase goods and services.
The U.S. Department of Commerce also has wonderful resources available to entrepreneurs. The department's commercial service has specialists assigned to study and follow the economy in scores of countries. They can provide you with in-depth, expert information; much of it is free, but some is fee-based. Call the Commerce Department in Washington, D.C., or check your area's white pages under "federal government offices" for a local listing. Or visit the Commerce Department Web site.
The U.S. Small Business Administration also has excellent resources for people seeking information about international trade. Check out SBA's site and look for the export information section.
The independent federal agency that provides export financing is the Export-Import Bank in Washington, D.C. EXIMBANK, as it is known, can be reached at (202) 565-3900 or at on the Web at www.exim.gov.
Employee's dress is inappropriate
Dear Jane: I have a wonderful employee who has one small problem. He dresses inappropriately most of the time. Racy rock band T-shirts, ripped jeans and too many earrings. He's a wonderfully creative person (he works on our Web site), but his wild clothes raise eyebrows among our clients.
Dealing with how your employees dress for work can be very tricky, but enforcing a company dress code is one area where you can take a stand. The most important thing is that you treat everyone the same and not single out any one person.
First, take a close look at what you wear to work. Are you setting a good example for your staff? It's hypocritical to ask them to dress up if you wear sloppy, unattractive clothing to the office.
Consider inviting a fashion consultant or local boutique owner to make a short presentation on how to dress properly for business. Position it as a company-wide training program and require everyone to attend. If you are OK about a "business casual" dress code, but still want people to look nice, ask the professional to specify what is appropriate and what's not.
Write down the dos and don'ts of your new dress code and enforce it from the start. If people object and refuse to comply, make it clear that it will reflect poorly on their performance reviews. You might consider making one day a week, usually Friday, casual day, but you can still prohibit certain types of clothing and jewelry. 
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