International Trade, Labor Relations, and Bargaining Power: International Strawberry Commodity Networks examines power in the commercial food system through the history of always available strawberries. Applying an interdisciplinary approach to case studies on strawberry production and sales in Mexico, Spain, and the United States, the author untangles the symbiotic relationships between the economic boom and labor strife in the sector. By comparing workers’ struggles in the sector, he develops a novel model of workplace bargaining power in which the process of dignity catalyzes change. Since international trade in strawberries began three decades ago, the sector’s growth has paralleled the rise of retailer dominance of food sales. Highlighting inequitable gains from the sales boom, workers have organized mass strikes, boycotts, and pressure campaigns. The divergent results ranged from ephemeral acknowledgments of workers’ concerns to the establishment of union collective bargaining and steadily improving working conditions. Grounded in extensive research, the book provides fresh analytical approaches to understanding the social dimensions of international trade and workplace bargaining power. The book unpacks the relationship between poor working conditions and economic growth by applying a new method, international commodity network analysis, which builds on prior global supply chain approaches. It explains differences in workers’ initiatives to improve employment conditions by identifying the process of dignity in the creation of solidarity.

The US-China trade war instigated by President Trump has thrown the multilateral trading system into a crisis. Drawing on vast interview and documentary materials, Hopewell shows how US-China conflict had already paralyzed the system of international rules and institutions governing trade. The China Paradox - the fact that China is both a developing country and an economic powerhouse - creates significant challenges for global trade governance and rule-making. While China demands exemptions from global trade disciplines as a developing country, the US refuses to extend special treatment to its rival. The implications of this conflict extend far beyond trade, impeding pro-development and pro-environment reforms of the global trading system. As one of the first analyses of the implications of US-China rivalry for the governance of global trade, this book is crucial to our understanding of China's impact on the global trading system and on the liberal international economic order.

This book examines the intricate relationship among trade and investment policies, as well as environmental regulations, especially for developing economies. Trade liberalization via tariff reduction and market reforms has contributed significantly to the growth of the world economy. Nonetheless, one may wonder if free trade can continue to be a key factor sustaining economic growth and improving environmental quality. Under free trade, capital-abundant developed countries that produce capital intensive goods tend to emit more pollutants. This is the thrust of the so-called factor-endowment hypothesis of pollution. However, the costs of abating pollution are mounting in environmentally conscious nations due to the adoption of tougher environmental standards. The increased production costs have prompted firms in the developed nations to relocate to developing countries (the pollution haven hypothesis).

Households in developing economies are mainly concerned with meeting basic needs and thus attach greater importance to issues about jobs and income. This book contributes toward understanding these issues. The impacts of pollution taxes and environmental standards on employment and social welfare are examined, the design and coordination of optimal trade, investment and environmental policies are analyzed, and their policy implications, such as aid-nature swap and backward incidence of pollution control, are provided. Finally, optimal trade and pollution policies are investigated and compared under certain and uncertain situations.

Conti examines presidential rhetoric on trade, providing a detailed analysis of presidential trade arguments and strategies throughout American history. She then concentrates on the rhetoric of contemporary presidents, who have had to contend with both the burgeoning trade deficit and the displacement of military competitiveness with post-cold war economic competitiveness. Despite vast disparities in governing philosophies and strategies, Presidents Reagan, Bush, and Clinton all preached the virtues of free trade while continuing a policy of select protectionist actions. As Conti suggests, the arcane details of trade policy, the continuing pervasiveness of nontariff barriers, and the impending negotiation of international trade agreements combine to make presidential leadership on economic issues critical. How effective that leadership can be is, in large part, dependent upon the effectiveness of presidential rhetoric. Students, scholars, and researchers in the field of speech communication and rhetoric, political communication, public affairs, and the presidency will find this a stimulating survey.

The main objective of this book is to offer an overview and a critical assessment of current connectivity issues in Asia and Europe, seen from an industrial perspective. Critical insights into the contemporary debate on connectivity during times of crisis, which has led to significant economic and social disruptions, are offered throughout the book. European and Asian countries seek to "bounce forward" and not "bounce back" as they navigate the complex economic recovery process. Innovation and investment emerge as critical players to help an economic recovery that shifts towards a more resilient and environmentally friendly approach, to ensure that the world economies stay connected. The global health crisis has revealed that, more than ever before, ubiquitous connectivity, underpinned by pioneering innovation, is a must. As such, governments worldwide need to ensure that businesses and societies emerge stronger and more resilient from existing and emerging crises by laying solid foundations that help to circumnavigate future disruptions of a global magnitude.

This edited collection is an interdisciplinary study of gems in the early modern world. It examines the relations between the art, science, and technology of gems, and it does so against the backdrop of an expanding global trade in gems. The eleven chapters are organised into three parts. The first part sets the scene by describing how gems moved around the early modern world, how they were set in motion, and how they were pulled together in the course of their travels. The second part is about value. It asks why people valued gems, how they determined the value of a given gem, and how the value of a gem was connected to its perceived place of origin. The third part deals with the skills involved in cutting, polishing, and mounting gems, and how these skills were transmitted and articulated by artisans. The common themes of all these chapters are materials, knowledge and global trade. The contributors to this volume focus on the material properties of gems such as their weight and hardness, on the knowledge involved in exchanging them and valuing them, and on the cultural consequences of the expanding trade in gems in Eurasia and the Americas.

The question of how to properly enforce against RPM has been a contentious debate for decades on both sides of the Atlantic. The catalyst is the acceptance that RPM can generate both anti-competitive effects and pro-competitive efficiencies that need to be properly balanced to ensure against Type I/Type II errors and to create viable legislation. Part I focuses on 100 years of US origins and the current legal approach to VR enforcement, which reveals the precedent responsible for the transition between per se illegality and the rule of reason thresholds at the federal level. Nine anti-competitive and 19 pro-competitive theoretical models are also introduced to clearly demonstrate the true nonconsensus existent between economists as to whether RPM is deleterious enough to justify a stringent approach to RPM regulation. Part II closely examines the EU origins and current legal structure, where RPM has maintained its hardcore by-object designation pursuant to Art. 101(1) TFEU with the consequence of having no safe harbours, no applicability of the De Minimus Doctrine, an onerous negative rebuttable presumption, non-severability of the agreement and almost no chance of obtaining an exemption under Art. 101(3). This is exacerbated by the EC’s lack of guidance on how to prove all conditions necessary for an Art. 101(3) exemption and when a vertical arrangement actually escapes Art. 101(1) applicability. The aim of this book is to examine the economic models, historical origins and legal structures of the US/EU regimes to develop proposals on how to modify the EU’s current legal structure to ensure proper enforcement of RPM behaviour that actually enhances legal certainty through a more aligned approach at the national level. Part III proposes five solutions which scrutinise the concepts of appreciability, hardcore and by-object restraints, to implement modifications to EU’s current legal framework to ensure RPM receives reasonable and equitable treatment in line with economic theory.

The only student textbook covering this frequently-taught subject Fully updated new edition includes updates in case law and the ongoing impact of the Insurance Act 2015 and a revised chapter on smart contracts to include discussion of Blockchain First two editions extremely well received and adopted by the market

First published in 1941, The Reconstruction of World Trade analyses the collapse of the international trading model after the First World War; the challenges presented by totalitarian methods of bilateral trade, and the problems anticipated in the attempt to reconstruct world trade after the end of the Second World War. The author studies national economic policies of several countries to argue that while economic problems are not contained with national borders, these still are an outcome of conflicting national economic policies. This book will be of interest to students of history, political science and economy.

A Basic Guide to International Business Law aims to give students an understanding as well as practical knowledge of legal problems arising in the area of international business, and to equip them with the skills needed to prevent and tackle these problems. All Chapters employ the same didactic structure. Introductory case studies, examples, annotated case law, glossaries, diagrams, summaries and exercises are all designed to familiarize students quickly with relevant aspects of international (business) law. A Basic Guide to International Business Law deals with the following topics: * Introduction to International Private Law and European Law * Legal aspects of negotiations * International contracts: matters of jurisdiction and the law applicable to these contracts * International contracts of sale * Competion law * Free movement of goods, workers, the freedom of capital and establishment and the freedom to provide services * International payments * Carriage of goods by road and sea * Incoterms * Entry modes (agents, representatives, distributors, licensing, franchising)

Multinational Strategic Alliances Robert J. Mockler St. Johna s University, New York Strategic alliances are one of the most significant tools used today in business, especially by multinational firms. It is seen by business managers as the way to grow their organizations, especially when faced by downsizing and cutbacks. Such alliances have certainly been around for a long time, and surveys show that today the majority of large organizations use them. Almost all multinational firms have considered them. However, what has changed in todaya s working climate is their breadth and frequency of use, and their complexity. This highlights the need for a comprehensive guide such as this. Indeed, research shows that over 70% of strategic alliances fail to deliver the results that were intended from the outset. What makes this book so useful is that it covers a broader range of alliances and has more current case studies than other books currently available. In addition, this comprehensive introduction to the subject provides a base of practical a how--to--do--ita material and specific decision models covering determining strategic fit, negotiating strategic alliances and selecting compatible partners, formulating type and structure of alliances in light of operational fit, and making strategic alliances work. The book also explores other options instead of alliances such as wholly--owned multinational expansion and exporting, and has major sections on understanding and managing cross--cultural diversity, communications and leadership. Case studies include General Motors in China, British Airways and American Airlines, Airbus Industrie, a celluar phone venture in Tashkent, British Petroleum/Mobil in Europe, and Puyi--Briggs and Straton Engine Corporation in China. The systematic processes, contingency frameworks, best practices guidelines and situation analysis checklists given in this book make it an indispensable guide for managers and senior managers no matter what the size of their enterprise, especially those involved in international marketing, planning and management. It is also relevant to consultants and MBA and post--graduate students interested in the development, management and other strategic issues involved in multinational strategic alliances.

The newest volume in Kluwer's series of comparative analyses of Member State law and the Principles of European Contract Law (PECL), this book not only provides an introduction to German law for lawyers familiar with the PECL but also serves as a model for "reconnecting" the contract law of the European Union with that of the Member States. Although the Principles were by design distilled from the laws of the Member States, one of the arguments most frequently advanced for opposing the introduction of a EU contract law is that it would not be in line with national principles of contract law. The in-depth comparison presented here may help to refute or confirm such doubts and serve as a yardstick to measure how far EU law really has disconnected from the traditions of the Member States. Using a straightforward comparative method, the analysis not only reveals a significant area of convergence between the PECL and German contract law, but also highlights the main differences between the two bodies of rules. The reasons for these differences, both legal and non-legal (historical, social, economic), are clearly set forth. Aspects of the relevant laws covered include the following: scope of application, general duties, terminology; offer and acceptance, liability for negotiations; effects of assignment; remedies for non-performance (right to performance, withholding performance, termination of the contract, price reduction, damages and interest); representation by agents; plurality of debtors and/or creditors; order of priority among assignee and competing claimants; transfer of contract or contractual position; and periods of prescription.

Microeconometric Studies of Firms' Imports and Exports spans twenty-four papers with a focus on four topics: applications of advanced microeconometric methods for cross-section and panel data of internationally active firms; cross-country studies using comparable data for firms; studies of exports by business services firms; and new evidence on German firms' trade in goods from transaction data. Applications focus on Germany, the third-largest exporter and importer of goods in the world. Some of these papers are "classic" empirical studies that helped to shape the field of microeconometrics in international trade and are widely cited. The two final papers are hitherto unpublished and include new material. Applications focus on Germany, the third-largest exporter and importer of goods in the world.

This book explores the possible creation and impact of electronic markets underpinned by government. How far could electronic trade go? The author outlines a world in which open online marketplaces are routinely used to trade everything from office space to bicycle rental between individuals. Each transaction would be guaranteed by the system, not the reputation of the seller. Anyone could enter the market as an equal. The author argues that the electronic marketplaces of the future will have widespread and fundamental economic and social consequences. For more information about Guaranteed Electronic Markets visit the Gems Website at www.gems.org.uk

On the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, this book presents the first monographic study of the Hong Kong Basic Law as an economic document. The Basic Law codifies what Gonzalo Villalta Puig and Eric C Ip call free market constitutionalism, the logic of Hong Kong's economic liberty as the freest market economy in the world. This book, which is the outcome of several years of study with the financial support of the General Research Fund of Hong Kong's Research Grants Council, evaluates the public choice rationale of the Basic Law and its projection on the Hong Kong economy, with a focus on the policy development of economic liberty both internally and externally. In the academic tradition of James M Buchanan's constitutional political economy, the book opens with a conceptualisation of free market constitutionalism in Hong Kong. It studies the origins of this concept in the 19th-century classically liberal common law and how it developed into a Hayekian laissez-faire convention under British colonial rule, was codified into the Basic Law and is interpreted and applied by the branches of the Government of the Region. The book closes with remarks on the future of Hong Kong's free market constitutionalism in face of recent challenges as the year 2047 approaches and the 50 years of 'unchanged' capitalist system under the Basic Law come to an end. This book will appeal to students, scholars and practitioners of law, economics, political science and public administration. It will especially appeal to those with an interest in Hong Kong law, international economic law or comparative constitutional law.

In a previous book The Theory of Value, Capital and Interest, the systemic theory of value was developed for a closed economy. Now the economy is opened and the same theory is applied to international trade. Both books are intended to provide an alternative theoretical paradigm. The mainstream neoclassical theory, based on Heckscheer Ohlin Samuelson theorem, is shown to be logically contradictory and empirically refuted. That justifies search for a new approach. Empirical evidence is presented.

This absorbing book examines the period of massive structural adjustment taking place in the wine industry. For many centuries wine was very much a European product. While that is still the case today - three-quarters of world wine production, consumption and trade involve Europe and most of the rest involves just a handful of New World countries settled by Europeans - the importance of exports from non-European countries has risen dramatically over the past decade. The World's Wine Markets includes an in-depth look at the growth and impact of New World wine production on the Old World producers, revealing that between 1990 and 2001, the New World's combined share of world wine exports grew from 4 to 18 per cent, or from 10 to 35 per cent when intra-European Union trade is excluded. Original essays, by economists from each of the major wine producing and consuming regions in the world, analyse recent developments and future trends, and conclude that globalization of the industry is set to continue for the foreseeable future. Furthermore they argue that with increasing globalization, there is a greater need than ever for systematic analysis of the world's wine markets. This fascinating work will appeal greatly to students enrolled in wine marketing and business courses, those studying industrial organization, and economists and other social scientists interested in case studies of globalization at work. As well, wine industry participants interested in understanding the reasons behind the recent dramatic developments in the industry will find this rigorously analytical yet accessible book of great value.

This edited volume provides critical reflections on the interplay between politics and law in an increasingly transnationalized global political economy. It focuses specifically on the emergence and operation of new forms of governance that are developing through a variety of transnational contractual practices, institutions, and laws in multiple sectors and areas of economic activity. Interdisciplinary in nature, the volume includes contributions from law, political science, sociology, and international politics, with the focus on the political foundations of transnational contract being both original and path-breaking. Placing power at the center of the analysis, the volume reveals the heterogeneous landscape of contemporary law-making and the different kinds of politics giving rise to this form of global ordering. As the contributors note, this new form of governance requires a different type of political theory and legal theory, with the volume advancing understanding of the analytical, theoretical and normative dimensions of private transnational governance by contract, making a valuable contribution to new theory in law and politics. It will be of great interest to students and academics in law, political science, international relations, international political economy and sociology, as well as international commercial arbitration lawyers, trade and investment lawyers, and legal firms.

The history of patent harmonization is a story of dynamic actors, whose interactions with established structures shaped the patent regime. From the inception of the trade regime to include intellectual property (IP) rights to the present, this book documents the role of different sets of actors - states, transnational business corporations, or civil society groups - and their influence on the structures - such as national and international agreements, organizations, and private entities - that have caused changes to healthcare and access to medication. Presenting the debates over patents, trade, and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement), as it galvanized non-state and nonbusiness actors, the book highlights how an alternative framing and understanding of pharmaceutical patent rights emerged: as a public issue, instead of a trade or IP issue. The book thus offers an important analysis of the legal and political dynamics through which the contest for access to lifesaving medication has been, and will continue to be, fought. In addition to academics working in the areas of international law, development, and public health, this book will also be of interest to policy makers, state actors, and others with relevant concerns working in nongovernmental and international organizations.

This book explores the possibilities and scope of facilitating innovation and transfer of the environmentally sound technologies in the Post-Paris climate era. The possibilities to be explored by the book will first focus on the roles of the climate finance and technological cooperation mechanisms in innovation and transfer of environmentally sound technologies. Secondly, the book will focus on role of the 'flexible mechanism' (i.e. indirect financial mechanisms), which has been re-introduced by the Paris Agreement as 'voluntary cooperation' or 'sustainable development' mechanism in innovation and transfer of environmentally sound technologies. Thirdly, the book will contain a comparative analysis regarding efficiency of the technology transfer mechanism under global climate regime in comparison with technology transfer mechanism that exists under other multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). In addition to the above, since the issues of trans-boundary technology transfer is also a matter of concern for international trade, the book will discuss to what extent the international trade related laws e.g. intellectual property laws, investment related laws governed by the World Trade Organizations (WTO) can play role in facilitating transfer of the environmentally sound technologies. Another important aspect that this book will cover is potential roles which private sectors can play in innovating and transferring environmentally sound technologies under above-mentioned instruments of international law. In short, this book will be based on the argument that if global climate regime and the international trade regime collaborate each other in creating enabling environment and attracting private sector to invest in the field of environmentally sound technologies, the global challenges of innovation and transfer of the environmentally sound technologies to the developing and least developed countries can be fulfilled in more efficient manner. From conceptual perspectives, discussions and analyses of the book will be made in the light of the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC) - two main guiding principles of the international laws on climate change. This book will be of great interest to scholars of climate change, technology transfer, intellectual property and sustainable development. Besides, national and international level policy makers dealing with climate change and sustainable development will be greatly benefitted from this book.

Contrary to the claims made by neoliberal governments and mainstream academics, this book argues that the huge increase in trade in recent decades has not made the world a fairer place: instead, the age of globalization has become a time of mass migration caused by increasing global inequality. The theory of unequal exchange challenges the free trade doctrine, claiming that transfers of value from poorer to richer countries are hidden behind apparently equivalent market transactions. Following a critical review of the existing approaches, the book proposes a general theory of unequal exchange in the light of an innovative reconstruction of Marx's international law of value, in which money and exchange rates play a crucial role in decoupling value captured from value produced by different countries, even in perfectly competitive world markets. On this theoretical basis, the book provides an empirical analysis of the international transfers of value in both traditional trade and Global Value Chains. The resulting world mapping of unequal exchange shows the geographical hierarchy of capital global exploitation by revealing a world divided into two quite separate camps of donor and receiving countries, the former being the poorer countries and the latter the richer countries. This book is addressed to scholars and students of economics and social sciences, as well as activists of the North and the South, interested in a better understanding of the asymmetric power relations implied in global trade. It makes a significant contribution to the literature on political economy, trade, Marxism, international relations, and economic geography.

This edited volume explores the question of the lawfulness under international law of economic activities in occupied territories from the perspectives of international law, EU law, and business and human rights. Providing a multi-level overview of relevant practices, policies and cases, the book is divided in three parts, each dealing with how different legal fields have come to grips with the challenges brought about by the question of the lawfulness under international law of economic activities in occupied territories. The first part includes contributions pertaining to the international law dimension of the question. It contains chapters on the conjunction between jus in bello, jus ad bellum and international human rights law in the context of exploitation of natural resources in territories under belligerent occupation; on third party obligations flowing from the application of occupation law in relation to natural resources exploitation; and on State practice with regards to trading with occupied territories. The second part focuses on EU law and contains contributions that assess the EU's approach to occupied territories and the extent to which this approach comports with the EU's obligations under international law; contributions providing an in-depth assessment of the case-law of the CJEU on occupied territories; as well as contributions pertaining to the political considerations that may influence the legal framing of questions pertaining to occupied territories. The final part focuses on the business and human rights perspective, with chapters on investment arbitration as a means for holding the occupant accountable for its conduct towards foreign investments and investors; on the role and impact of the soft law framework governing corporate activity (such as the UN Guiding Principles) on business involvement with occupied territories; as well as a final case study on the dispute involving Israeli football activity in settlements located in the OPT and the legal responsibility of FIFA in this regard. The book will appeal to academics, practitioners and policy-makers alike.

Highlighting an important emerging trend in FDI to Africa, this book consists of important contributions focusing on an increase in trade and investment between African countries. An area that until now has received little attention, this volume aims to define the key issues and explores the challenges and outcomes that have characterized Africa-to-Africa internationalization, providing guidance on directions for future research. Africa-to-Africa Internationalization includes both conceptual and empirical contributions, illustrating the practical issues in intra-African trade and investment. Providing readers with a deep sense of the realities and challenges of cross-border investments within the region, the cases included in the book are useful pedagogical materials for faculty members interested in teaching international business in the African context.

This book critically analyses the World Trade Organization's approach to "special and differential treatment" (SDT) to argue that it is founded on seeking exemptions from WTO obligations, instead of creating an enabling environment for developing countries to integrate fully into the multilateral trading system. Through six key sections: United States Proposal on Special and Differential Treatment Responses to United States Proposal The Evolution of Differential Treatment Failure of the Current Approach to Differential Treatment Complications Created by China's Emergence in the Global Economy An Alternative Approach to Differential Treatment this book explores how, by adopting a new evidence-based, case-by-case approach to SDT, the development of the poorest countries can best be advanced, while at the same time ensuring that advanced developing countries carry their weight in the organization. It will be of interest to scholars and students of international trade law and political science, as well as trade practitioners such as lawyers, diplomats, and analysts.

This book investigates the politics of transatlantic trade, specifically the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations. Using a novel approach, the authors analyze the rhetorical choices made by opponents and supporters of an agreement, and the logical behind their arguments. Opponents used emotive frames and strategically chosen issues to increase public opposition to the negotiations; supporters countered, but also accommodated, parts of opponents' rhetoric in hopes of quelling discontent. The study also highlights the resulting changes to EU trade policy, thus contributing to the literatures on trade policy, politicization, and rhetorical analysis.