IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/isu/genstf/1990010108000010878.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Three essays on strategic trade policy: precommitment, time consistency, and effects of a ratio quota

Author

Listed:
  • Park, Chongkook

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the strategic behavior of firms under imperfect competition in international trade;We utilize the Spencer-Brander multi-stage game in which two firms; one foreign and one domestic, compete as Cournot rivals in a third country. A three-stage game is characterized as: (1) one home government sets subsidies on both export and investment, (2) firms choose the levels of investment, and (3) firms choose output levels. We show that it is not generally optimal to choose investment levels that minimize costs in a Spencer-Brander model. Precommiting both investment and output levels by a home government (as a normal Stackelberg leader) is shown to yield a solution superior to the Spencer-Brander outcome;However, neither of these precommitment models is time consistent because the ex ante subsidy in a precommitment model is larger than that which appears optimal ex post. We show that the time consistent solution can dominate the precommitment solutions, a result that is at odds with the conventional wisdom concerning the inferiority of the time consistent solution. This result emerges because neither precommitment solution is made optimally contingent on foreign investment;We examine the effects of a ratio VER (voluntary export restraints). We claim that under the implementation of a ratio VER, the strategic behavior of firms is most appropriately modeled as simultaneous play, not as Stackelberg leadership for the home firm. Under simultaneous play, we show that (1) there is no equilibrium in pure strategies, and (2) the unique mixed strategy exists with the domestic firm's randomization of its production. In comparing tariffs and quotas, we find that the foreign firm prefers a VER to a tariff system, when the two are chosen such that the home firm's profits under a VER are the same as under a tariff system.

Suggested Citation

  • Park, Chongkook, 1990. "Three essays on strategic trade policy: precommitment, time consistency, and effects of a ratio quota," ISU General Staff Papers 1990010108000010878, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:isu:genstf:1990010108000010878
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/759bf9e8-0d18-4e69-81e2-9ce8e5ce7af7/content
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Krugman, Paul, 1980. "Scale Economies, Product Differentiation, and the Pattern of Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(5), pages 950-959, December.
    2. Jonathan Eaton & Gene M. Grossman, 1986. "Optimal Trade and Industrial Policy Under Oligopoly," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 101(2), pages 383-406.
    3. Barbara J. Spencer & James A. Brander, 1982. "Tariff Protection and Imperfect Competition," Working Paper 517, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    4. Carmichael, Calum M., 1987. "The control of export credit subsidies and its welfare consequences," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(1-2), pages 1-19, August.
    5. Maskin, Eric S & Newbery, David M, 1990. "Disadvantageous Oil Tariffs and Dynamic Consistency," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(1), pages 143-156, March.
    6. Krugman, Paul R., 1979. "Increasing returns, monopolistic competition, and international trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 469-479, November.
    7. Krugman, Paul R, 1987. "Is Free Trade Passe?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 1(2), pages 131-144, Fall.
    8. Jean Tirole, 1988. "The Theory of Industrial Organization," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262200716, April.
    9. James R. Markusen & James R. Melvin, 1981. "Trade, Factor Prices, and the Gains from Trade with Increasing Returns to Scale," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 14(3), pages 450-469, August.
    10. Dixit, Avinash, 1984. "International Trade Policy for Oligopolistic Industries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 94(376a), pages 1-16, Supplemen.
    11. Gruenspecht, Howard K., 1988. "Export subsidies for differentiated products," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(3-4), pages 331-344, May.
    12. Lapan, Harvey E, 1988. "The Optimal Tariff, Production Lags, and Time Consistency," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 78(3), pages 395-401, June.
    13. Richard Harris, 1985. "Why Voluntary Export Restraints Are 'Voluntary.'," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 18(4), pages 799-809, November.
    14. Itoh, Motoshige & Ono, Yoshiyasu, 1984. "Tariffs vs. quotas under duopoly of heterogeneous goods," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(3-4), pages 359-373, November.
    15. Bresnahan, Timothy F, 1981. "Duopoly Models with Consistent Conjectures," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(5), pages 934-945, December.
    16. Barbara J. Spencer & James A. Brander, 1983. "International R & D Rivalry and Industrial Strategy," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 50(4), pages 707-722.
    17. James R. MARKUSEN, 2021. "Trade And The Gains From Trade With Imperfect Competition," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: BROADENING TRADE THEORY Incorporating Market Realities into Traditional Models, chapter 14, pages 303-323, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    18. Paul Krugman, 1986. "Strategic Trade Policy and the New International Economics," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262610450, April.
    19. Bulow, Jeremy I & Geanakoplos, John D & Klemperer, Paul D, 1985. "Multimarket Oligopoly: Strategic Substitutes and Complements," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(3), pages 488-511, June.
    20. Krishna, Kala, 1989. "Trade restrictions as facilitating practices," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(3-4), pages 251-270, May.
    21. Mai, Chao-cheng & Hwang, Hong, 1989. "Tariffs versus ratio quotas under duopoly," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(1-2), pages 177-183, August.
    22. Motoshige Itoh & Yoshiyasu Ono, 1982. "Tariffs, Quotas, and Market Structure," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 97(2), pages 295-305.
    23. Brander, James A. & Spencer, Barbara J., 1985. "Export subsidies and international market share rivalry," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1-2), pages 83-100, February.
    24. Rauch, James E., 1989. "Increasing returns to scale and the pattern of trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(3-4), pages 359-369, May.
    25. Staiger, Robert W & Tabellini, Guido, 1987. "Discretionary Trade Policy and Excessive Protection," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(5), pages 823-837, December.
    26. Kydland, Finn E & Prescott, Edward C, 1977. "Rules Rather Than Discretion: The Inconsistency of Optimal Plans," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 85(3), pages 473-491, June.
    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. Boko, Sylvain Hounkponou, 1996. "Pre-commitment mechanism and policy credibility in African trade reform," ISU General Staff Papers 1996010108000012514, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.

    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. 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.
    2. Harris, Richard G., 1989. "The New Protectionism Revisited," Queen's Institute for Economic Research Discussion Papers 275219, Queen's University - Department of Economics.
    3. Krugman, Paul R., 1989. "Industrial organization and international trade," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: R. Schmalensee & R. Willig (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 20, pages 1179-1223, Elsevier.
    4. repec:dau:papers:123456789/6629 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. D. MacLaren, 1991. "Agricultural Trade Policy Analysis And International Trade Theory: A Review Of Recent Developments," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(3), pages 250-297, September.
    6. Peter Welzel, 1992. "A note on the time inconsistency of strategic trade policy," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 203-214, June.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Andreas Haufler & Guttorm Schjelderup & Frank Stähler, 2000. "Commodity Taxation and International Trade in Imperfect Markets," CESifo Working Paper Series 376, CESifo.
    10. Keith Head & Barbara J. Spencer, 2017. "Oligopoly in international trade: Rise, fall and resurgence," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 50(5), pages 1414-1444, December.
    11. Siebert, Horst, 1988. "Strategische Handelspolitik: Theoretische Ansätze und wirtschaftspolitische Empfehlungen," Discussion Papers, Series II 43, University of Konstanz, Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 178 "Internationalization of the Economy".
    12. Rauscher, Michael, 2001. "International trade, foreign investment, and the environment," Thuenen-Series of Applied Economic Theory 29, University of Rostock, Institute of Economics.
    13. Corden, W. Max, 1990. "Strategic trade policy : how new? how sensible?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 396, The World Bank.
    14. 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.
    15. Walsh, Patrick, 1991. "A general framework for analysing endogenous trade divergences," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 6780, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    16. 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.
    17. Mccorriston, Steve & Sheldon, Ian, 1989. "Imperfect Competition, Trade Policy and Processed Agricultural Products," Occasional Papers 232831, Regional Research Project NC-194: Organization and Performance of World Food Systems.
    18. Dermot Leahy & J. Peter Neary, 2013. "Oligopoly and Trade," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Daniel Bernhofen & Rod Falvey & David Greenaway & Udo Kreickemeier (ed.), Palgrave Handbook of International Trade, chapter 7, pages 197-235, Palgrave Macmillan.
    19. Neary, J. Peter, 1994. "Cost asymmetries in international subsidy games: Should governments help winners or losers?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(3-4), pages 197-218, November.
    20. S. Lael Brainard & David Martimort, 1996. "Strategic Trade Policy Design with Asymmetric Information and Public Contracts," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 63(1), pages 81-105.
    21. Luca Lambertini & Arsen Palestini, 2018. "Voluntary Export Restraints in a Trade Model with Sticky Price: Linear and Nonlinear Feedback Solutions," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 507-518, September.

    More about this item

    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:isu:genstf:1990010108000010878. 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: Curtis Balmer (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/deiasus.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.