IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/econom/v81y2014i323p491-521.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

International Competition in Vertically Differentiated Markets with Innovation and Imitation: Trade Policy Versus Free Trade

Author

Listed:
  • Eugen Kováč
  • Krešimir Žigić

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="ecca12093-abs-0001"> The competition between firms from developed (DC) and less developed countries (LDC) is typically in vertically differentiated products. We consider a model of price competition between DC and LDC firms with quality choice and imitation, and study the effects of ex post tariffs. The government faces a choice between commitment to free trade and imposing a tariff. Tariffs can lead to change in the rank of qualities compared to free trade. We identify conditions under which this quality reversal takes place, and show that quality reversal is necessary for trade policy to be superior to free trade in welfare terms.

Suggested Citation

  • Eugen Kováč & Krešimir Žigić, 2014. "International Competition in Vertically Differentiated Markets with Innovation and Imitation: Trade Policy Versus Free Trade," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 81(323), pages 491-521, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:econom:v:81:y:2014:i:323:p:491-521
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/ecca.2014.81.issue-323
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Neary, J Peter & Leahy, Dermot, 2000. "Strategic Trade and Industrial Policy towards Dynamic Oligopolies," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(463), pages 484-508, April.
    2. Motta, Massimo & Thisse, Jacques-Francois & Cabrales, Antonio, 1997. "On the Persistence of Leadership or Leapfrogging in International Trade," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 38(4), pages 809-824, November.
    3. Gene M. Grossman & Giovanni Maggi, 1997. "Free Trade vs. Strategic Trade: A Peek into Pandora's Box," NBER Working Papers 6211, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Staiger, Robert W., 1995. "International rules and institutions for trade policy," Handbook of International Economics, in: G. M. Grossman & K. Rogoff (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 29, pages 1495-1551, Elsevier.
    5. Herguera, Inigo & Kujal, Praveen & Petrakis, Emmanuel, 2002. "Tariffs, quality reversals and exit in vertically differentiated industries," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 467-492, December.
    6. Alireza Naghavi, 2007. "Strategic Intellectual Property Rights Policy and North-South Technology Transfer," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 143(1), pages 55-78, April.
    7. Bhattacharjea, Aditya, 1995. "Strategic tariffs and endogenous market structures: Trade and industrial policies under imperfect competition," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 287-312, August.
    8. Brander, James A., 1995. "Strategic trade policy," Handbook of International Economics, in: G. M. Grossman & K. Rogoff (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 27, pages 1395-1455, Elsevier.
    9. Ulrich Lehmann-Grube, 1997. "Strategic Choice of Quality When Quality is Costly: The Persistence of the High-Quality Advantage," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 28(2), pages 372-384, Summer.
    10. Fershtman, Chaim, 1989. "Fixed rules and decision rules : Time consistency and subgame perfection," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 191-194, September.
    11. Peter K. Schott, 2004. "Across-Product Versus Within-Product Specialization in International Trade," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(2), pages 647-678.
    12. Thomas J. Prusa & Reiko Aoki, 1997. "Sequential vs. Simultaneous Choice With Endogenous Quality," Departmental Working Papers 199510, Rutgers University, Department of Economics.
    13. Hallak, Juan Carlos, 2006. "Product quality and the direction of trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 238-265, January.
    14. Moraga-Gonzalez, Jose Luis & Viaene, Jean-Marie, 2005. "Trade policy and quality leadership in transition economies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 359-385, February.
    15. Federico Etro, 2004. "Innovation by leaders," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(495), pages 281-303, April.
    16. repec:bla:econom:v:64:y:1997:i:254:p:265-79 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Michael Kunin & Kresimir Zigic, 2004. "Strategic Trade Policy and Vertical Product Differentiation: intra-industry trade between developed and developing countries," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp230, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    18. Aoki, Reiko & Prusa, Thomas J., 1997. "Sequential versus simultaneous choice with endogenous quality," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 103-121, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rajat Acharyya & María D.C. García-Alonso, 2012. "Parallel imports, drug innovation and international patent protection: A policy game," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(6), pages 865-894, November.
    2. Hodaka Morita & Xuan Nguyen, 2012. "FDI and Technology Spillovers under Vertical Product Di erentiation," Discussion Papers 2012-19, School of Economics, The University of New South Wales.
    3. Boone, Jan & Žigić, Krešimir, 2015. "Trade policy in markets with collusion: The case of North–South R&D spillovers," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 224-237.
    4. Fei Yu & Yanrui Wu & Jin Chen & Arie Lewin, 2022. "Technological Leapfrogging and Strategic Patent Policy," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 22-17, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    5. Rajat Acharyya & Maria D.C. Garcia-Alonso, 2009. "Weak IPR and Imitation in the South and International Exhaustion of Patent Rights in the North for Innovated Drugs: A Policy Game," Studies in Economics 0919, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    6. Fei Yu & Yanrui Wu & Jin Chen & Arie Y. Lewin, 2023. "Technological leapfrogging and country strategic patent policy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(5), pages 887-909, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Žigić, Krešimir, 2011. "Does a ‘non-committed’ government always generate lower social welfare than its ‘committed’ counterpart? Strategic trade policy when consumer surplus matters," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 533-556.
    2. Kresimir Zigic, 2011. "Strategic Interactions in Markets with Innovative Activity: The Cases of Strategic Trade Policy and Market Leadership," CERGE-EI Books, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague, edition 1, number b06, May.
    3. Michael Kunin & Kresimir Zigic, 2004. "Strategic Trade Policy and Vertical Product Differentiation: intra-industry trade between developed and developing countries," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp230, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    4. José L. Moraga‐González & Jean‐Marie Viaene, 2015. "Antidumping, Intra‐Industry Trade, And Quality Reversals," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 56(3), pages 777-803, August.
    5. Kresimir Zigic, 2010. "Second-Best Trade Policies, R&D Spillovers and Government (In)ability to Precommit in an Intra-Industry Trade Framework," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp427, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    6. Emanuele Bacchiega & Antonio Minniti & Arsen Palestini, 2016. "Quality, distance and trade: A strategic approach," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95, pages 165-191, March.
    7. Kangsik Choi & Seonyoung Lim, 2024. "Vertical Strategy with Quality Differentiation in an Import-competing Market," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 1-21, December.
    8. Morita, Hodaka & Nguyen, Xuan, 2021. "FDI and quality-enhancing technology spillovers," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    9. Mina Baliamoune-Lutz & Stefan Lutz, 2010. "Pre-emption, Predation, and Minimum Quality Standards," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 111-123.
    10. Jinji, Naoto & Toshimitsu, Tsuyoshi, 2013. "Strategic R&D policy in a quality-differentiated industry with three exporting countries," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 132-142.
    11. Naoto Jinji & Tsuyoshi Toshimitsu, 2010. "Strategic R&D Policy in a Quality-Differentiated Industry with More than Two Exporting Countries," Discussion papers e-09-001, Graduate School of Economics Project Center, Kyoto University.
    12. José Luis Moraga Gonzales & Jean-Marie Viaene, 2001. "Procompetitive Trade Policies," CESifo Working Paper Series 597, CESifo.
    13. Hodaka Morita & Xuan Nguyen, 2012. "FDI and Technology Spillovers under Vertical Product Di erentiation," Discussion Papers 2012-19, School of Economics, The University of New South Wales.
    14. Dewit, Gerda & Leahy, Dermot, 2004. "Rivalry in uncertain export markets: commitment versus flexibility," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 195-209, October.
    15. Lionel Fontagné & Sophie Hatte, 2013. "European High-End Products in International Competition," PSE - G-MOND WORKING PAPERS hal-00959394, HAL.
    16. Giammario Impullitti, 2007. "International Schumpeterian Competition and Optimal R&D subsidies," Economics Working Papers ECO2007/55, European University Institute.
    17. Dermot Leahy & J. Peter Neary, 2000. "Robust Rules for Industrial Policy in open Economies," Working Papers 200021, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    18. José Luis Moraga-González & Jean-Marie Viaene, 2004. "Anti-Dumping, Intra-Industry Trade and Quality Reversals," CESifo Working Paper Series 1365, CESifo.
    19. Delia Ionascu & Kresimir Zigic, 2001. "Strategic Trade Policy and Mode of Competition: Symmetric versus Asymmetric Information," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp174, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    20. Kresimir Zigic, 2001. "Strategic Trade Policy, the "Committed" versus "Non-Committed" Government, and R&D Spillovers," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp177, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:econom:v:81:y:2014:i:323:p:491-521. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.