International Trade


Book Description

"In all countries, there are laws and regulations affecting private economic activity. They are necessary to enable private economic activity to thrive, as well as to provide for honesty in information), consumer protection, and much more. Laws and regulations, such as safety standards, quality grades, and health and food (phytosanitary) standards generally apply to much economic activity within a country. In very primitive societies when farming or hunting was almost all economic activity, such measures were much less necessary. But as exchanges and trading increased, the need to find ways to support transactions became essential in order to enable parties to agree on even such things as simple weights and measures. Until there was a commercial code (legal framework), most businesses were owned primarily by family members who could trust each other. The commercial codes covered such phenomena as penalties against breach of contract, standards and assurances as to the quality and ingredients of goods being contracted, and penalties for their infringement, and so on. Note that even a rudimentary contract would likely have needed an understanding as to weights and measures, definition of materials, and much more"--




The Impact of International Trade on Wages


Book Description

Since the early 1980s, the U.S. economy has experienced a growing wage differential: high-skilled workers have claimed an increasing share of available income, while low-skilled workers have seen an absolute decline in real wages. How and why this disparity has arisen is a matter of ongoing debate among policymakers and economists. Two competing theories have emerged to explain this phenomenon, one focusing on international trade and labor market globalization as the driving force behind the devaluation of low-skill jobs, and the other focusing on the role of technological change as a catalyst for the escalation of high-skill wages. This collection brings together innovative new ideas and data sources in order to provide more satisfying alternatives to the trade versus technology debate and to assess directly the specific impact of international trade on U.S. wages. This timely volume offers a thorough appraisal of the wage distribution predicament, examining the continued effects of technology and globalization on the labor market.




Export America


Book Description




A New Paradigm for International Business


Book Description

This book offers a collection of studies on regional integration and the dynamic business environment in East Asia. The papers included, originally presented at the 2014 Asia Pacific Business Conference on "Free Trade Agreements and Regional Integration in East Asia," examine the challenges and dynamics in the increasingly integrated East Asian markets and outline a new paradigm for doing international business in the region. The papers address diverse areas related to regional integration, financial markets, investment, trade and capital flow, sustainability, accounting and auditing issues, exchange rates, strategies and the regional business environment. The book provides a valuable resource for practitioners, policy-makers and students who are interested in understanding the vibrant aspects of business in today’s East Asia.




Import Safety


Book Description

On World Food Day in October 2008, former president Bill Clinton finally accepted decade-old criticism directed at his administration's pursuit of free-trade deals with little regard for food safety, child labor, or workers' rights. "We all blew it, including me when I was president. We blew it. We were wrong to believe that food was like some other product in international trade." Clinton's public admission came at a time when consumers in the United States were hearing unsettling stories about contaminated food, toys, and medical products from China, and the first real calls were being made for more regulation of imported products. Import Safety comes at a moment when public interest is engaged with the subject and the government is receptive to the idea of consumer protections that were not instituted when many of the Clinton era's free-trade pacts were drafted. Written by leading scholars and analysts, the chapters in Import Safety provide background and policy guidance on improving consumer safety in imported food, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and toys and other products aimed at children. Together, they consider whether policymakers should approach import safety issues through better funding of traditional interventions—such as regulatory oversight and product liability—or whether this problem poses a different kind of governance challenge, requiring wholly new methods.







International Trade and Transportation Infrastructure Development


Book Description

International Trade and Transportation Infrastructure Development: Experiences in North America and Europe examines the impact of trade agreements, such as the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the European Union Customs Union, and their relationship to transportation systems and infrastructure in member countries. It analyzes historical trade by mode, evaluating modal shifts due to trade policy and disputes, and their implications for all involved nations. This book also examines both supply and demand trends, reviewing transportation processes, and the stakeholders involved. Capacity development, funding mechanisms, and operational characteristics of each mode are detailed in relation to the policies that influence them. The book reviews recent trends and the impact of disruptive technologies, as well as future potential regulatory changes, with relation to upcoming infrastructure plans, project funding, and operations. This book is an ideal reference for transportation practitioners involved in planning, feasibility studies, consultation and policy for international transportation systems or infrastructure. Academic researchers and graduate students in transportation planning, international relations, and trade will also find this book useful. Compiles in one source up-to-date insights on important public transport themes, issues, and debates Examines a wide range of public transport topics in the multidisciplinary fields of economics, policy, operations, and planning Bridges the gap between scientific research and policy implementation




Combating Inequality


Book Description

Leading economists and policymakers consider what economic tools are most effective in reversing the rise in inequality. Economic inequality is the defining issue of our time. In the United States, the wealth share of the top 1% has risen from 25% in the late 1970s to around 40% today. The percentage of children earning more than their parents has fallen from 90% in the 1940s to around 50% today. In Combating Inequality, leading economists, many of them current or former policymakers, bring good news: we have the tools to reverse the rise in inequality. In their discussions, they consider which of these tools are the most effective at doing so.




Rebuilding the Global Economy


Book Description

A special series outlining policy priorities and solutions in 2021 by the Peterson Institute for International Economics.




Global Trade in Services


Book Description

He finds that, in spite of US comparative advantage in service activities, service firms' export participation lags manufacturing firms. Jensen evaluates the impediments to services trade and finds evidence that there is considerable room for liberalization-especially among the large, fast-growing developing economies. The policy recommendations coming out of this path-breaking study are quite clear. The United States should not fear trade in services. It should be pushing aggressively for services trade liberalization. Because other advanced economies have similar comparative advantage in service, the United States should make common cause with the European Union and other advanced economies to encourage the large, fast-growing developing economies to liberalize their service sectors through multilateral negotiations in the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the Government Procurement Agreement.




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