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Strategic Trade Policy under Incomplete Information

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  • Maggi, Giovanni

Abstract

This paper examines equilibrium trade policies when firms have better information than governments about the profitability of the industry. Contrary to the intuition that the policymakers' lack of information should reduce their incentives to engage in strategic trade intervention, the analysis suggests that information asymmetries may increase trade policy distortions in equilibrium and ultimately worsen the "prisoners dilemma" between governments. Copyright 1999 by Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.

Suggested Citation

  • Maggi, Giovanni, 1999. "Strategic Trade Policy under Incomplete Information," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 40(3), pages 571-594, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:ier:iecrev:v:40:y:1999:i:3:p:571-94
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    1. Michael L. Katz, 1991. "Game-Playing Agents: Unobservable Contracts as Precommitments," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 22(3), pages 307-328, Autumn.
    2. Arvan, Lanny, 1991. "Flexibility versus commitment in strategic trade policy under uncertainty : A model of endogenous policy leadership," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(3-4), pages 341-355, November.
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    11. Maggi, Giovanni, 1996. "Strategic Trade Policies with Endogenous Mode of Competition," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(1), pages 237-258, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sun, Ning & Yao, Hongxin, 2011. "Manipulable behavior in international trade," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(1-2), pages 60-66, January.
    2. Desai, Mihir A. & Hines Jr., James R., 2008. "Market reactions to export subsidies," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 459-474, March.
    3. Mälkönen, Ville, 2006. "Optimal forest conservation: The role of green-image demand and investments," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 51-73, March.
    4. Kornek, Ulrike & Klenert, David & Edenhofer, Ottmar & Fleurbaey, Marc, 2021. "The social cost of carbon and inequality: When local redistribution shapes global carbon prices," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    5. 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.
    6. Maggi, G. & Grossman, G., 1997. "Free Trade vs Strategic Trade: A Peek into Pandora's Box," Papers 190, Princeton, Woodrow Wilson School - Public and International Affairs.
    7. Delia Ionascu & Kresimir zigic, 2005. "Free trade versus strategic trade as a choice between two 'second best' policies: A symmetric versus asymmetric information analysis," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 417-446.
    8. Creane, Anthony & Miyagiwa, Kaz, 2008. "Information and disclosure in strategic trade policy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 229-244, May.
    9. Kim, Young-Han & Kim, Sang-Kee, 2012. "Welfare effects of competitive lobbying efforts in international oligopoly markets," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 614-620.
    10. Mustafa Caglayan & Murat Usman, 2004. "Incompletely informed policymakers and trade policy in oligopolistic industries," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 72(3), pages 283-297, June.
    11. Phillip McCalman & Frank Stähler & Gerald Willmann, 2019. "Contingent trade policy and economic efficiency," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 155(2), pages 227-255, May.
    12. Ning, Haokai, 2020. "Choice of Trade Policy with Incomplete Information," MPRA Paper 101529, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Koska, Onur A. & Stähler, Frank, 2016. "The myth of profit-shifting trade policies," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 39-41.
    14. Cecile Aubert & Jerome Pouyet, 2000. "Collusion Under Asymmetric Information and Institutional Incompleteness," Econometric Society World Congress 2000 Contributed Papers 0806, Econometric Society.
    15. Ning, Haokai, 2023. "Choice of trade policy for international oligopoly with incomplete information," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 1432-1443.
    16. Simon Schropp, 2007. "Revisiting the "Compliance-vs.-Rebalancing" Debate in WTO Scholarship a Unified Research Agenda," IHEID Working Papers 29-2007, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies, revised Dec 2007.
    17. Matschke, Xenia, 2003. "Tariff and quota equivalence in the presence of asymmetric information," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 209-223, October.
    18. Furusawa, Taiji & Higashida, Keisaku & Ishikawa, Jota, 2003. "What information is needed for welfare-enhancing policies under international oligopoly?," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 31-46, January.
    19. Fabio Antoniou & Nikos Tsakiris, 2014. "Information and Disclosure in Strategic Trade Policy: Revisited," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 415-427, September.
    20. Sun, Ning & Yao, Hongxin, 2011. "Manipulable behavior in international trade," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 60-66.
    21. Zigic, Kresimir & Ionascu, Delia, 2001. "Free Trade versus Strategic Trade as a Choice Between Two 'Second-best' Policies: A Symmetric versus Asymmetric Information Ana," CEPR Discussion Papers 2928, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    22. Delia Ionaºcu & Kresimir Zigic, 2005. "Strategic Tariff Protection, Market Conduct, and Government Commitment Levels in Developing Economies," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp249, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    23. Kyoungwon Rhee & Moonsung Kang, 2019. "Export Subsidies and Least Developed Countries: An Entry-Deterrence Model under Complete and Incomplete Information," Korean Economic Review, Korean Economic Association, vol. 35, pages 163-182.

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    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations

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