Effects of Trade Barrier Perception on International Services Trade

Abstract

While the United States is the world's largest exporter of business services, barriers erected by foreign governments seem to have severely depressed the penetration of insurance services in some of the world's largest markets.

Previous studies of the effects of barriers have concentrated on exporters of goods rather than services. Some of these studies conclude that foreign government restrictions are a major concern for exporters while others find that exporters perceive these barriers as less important.

The present study focuses on the effect of executives perceptions of trade barriers on their actions. Those who chose not to enter particular markets did not perceive these markets as more difficult to enter than all respondents did. Managers planned and took the most actions in the market perceived to be the least difficult to enter but results for other countries did not correlate with the perception of entry difficulty.     

我国应对出口包装绿色壁垒的策略

由于国际社会对保护生态环境和人身安全等问题的关注与日俱增，加上贸易保护主义的抬头，一种新的贸易壁垒——绿色壁垒已成为国际贸易中的新问题。一些国家针对各种产品甚至产品包装设置了绿色壁垒，对我国包装行业造成极大冲击。如何顺应国际潮流、突破国际市场的绿色壁垒已成为我国厂家以及包装业面临的严峻问题。本文试从政府、法律、企业等方面提出应对针对包装的绿色壁垒的建议。     

The barriers and drivers of seafood consumption in Australia: A narrative literature review

Although seafood is considered to be an important part of a healthy and balanced diet, many Australians still do not consume the recommended amounts for good health. Fish is an excellent source of protein, omega‐3 fatty acids and other nutrients, and studies have shown that seafood‐rich diets can have a lower impact on the environment than diets high in other animal proteins. Concerns about health and sustainability have led to an increased interest in understanding consumers' attitudes toward seafood. This review aims to assess the current knowledge on drivers and barriers to seafood consumption in the Australian context. Systematic search strategies were used to identify relevant peer‐reviewed journal articles from three electronic databases (SCOPUS, Web of Science and Science Direct) and grey literature reports from targeted government and industry websites. Accepted studies investigated drivers and/or barriers to seafood consumption in Australia through qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method designs. Initial searches identified 504 publications from which fourteen met the criteria for the review process. The reviewed studies revealed that influences on seafood consumption in Australia are similar to those identified in other developed countries. The leading drivers of seafood consumption are health, taste, and convenience, while the main barriers are price, availability, concerns about quality, and a lack of confidence in selecting and preparing seafood. Some possible intervention strategies targeted toward these factors are explored in the discussion. Future research should focus on designing and implementing specific interventions so that their effectiveness in increasing seafood consumption in Australia can be assessed.     

Motives and barriers affecting consumers’ co-creation in the physical store

ABSTRACT

The rise of e-commerce has caused a dramatic shift in consumer behaviour, putting pressure on physical stores to offer a more personalised and service-oriented offering. This paper investigates one strategy retailers might apply in this context: in-store consumer co-creation. Research has predominantly focused on online-based consumer co-creation in new product and service development. We argue that with increased focus on digitalisation and consumer experiences in physical retail, this type of co-creation will increasingly take place in-store. Following a pre-study with practitioners, our main study uses 20 scenario-based semi-structured interviews, where we identify eight consumer motives and seven barriers that underlie consumers’ willingness and reluctance to create and select new products in-store, respectively. Some motives, such as ethical, self-efficacy, and concerted are reported as barriers when reverted, due to consumers’ concerns regarding data privacy, low levels of perceived self-efficacy and assumptions that the technology might be flawed. Other motives largely overlap existing research on motives for co-creation whereas other barriers predominantly pertain to the underlying technology and the physical setting of co-creation in-store. The findings further indicate that consumers co-create differently online versus in-store. In-store seems particularly suitable for more marketing related aspects of co-creation, with a stronger emphasis on playfulness and purchase intentions. Practical implications for retailers are therefore discussed.     

我国外贸出口遭遇多国贸易壁垒的对策研究

2009年我国外贸出口跃居全球首位,同时遭遇贸易摩擦也成为历年之最。我国应转变发展方式,调整产业结构,依靠内需拉动经济增长。通过自主创新、苦练内功、打造自主品牌、鼓励企业＂走出去＂等措施来应对贸易壁垒。     

Implementing Market Segmentation Strategies in UK Personal Financial Services: Problems and Progress

Most academic research into segmentation in the financial services industry has focused on alternative analytical approaches and base variables; relatively little attention has been paid to implementation issues, despite managementS concerns about the practicality and usefulness of segmentation. Some significant barriers to effective implementation of segmentation have been encountered by major financial services firms. This paper reviews these barriers, and finds that weaknesses in customer data, and the importance of a good fit with the company'S distribution channels, can limit the range of segmentation approaches that a company can adopt, while the organisational context, structure and strategic positioning canfail to support effective segmentation. The paper also considers some of the newer entrants to the financial services industry, and finds that they are making progress in all of these areas.     

Emerging Trends in the Food Distribution System

Abstract

Two trends, the drive for differentiation and the clamor for collaboration, are emerging from intermediaries in the food distribution system. Differentiation by large manufacturers and retailers will encourage more direct marketing by farmers. Although differentiation by manufacturers creates entry barriers for small firms, differentiation by retailers may open opportunities. Some collaboration initiatives will increase the supply chain efficiency up to the retailer, but adoption rates of collaborative technologies by stores will likely be slow. With more differentiation, consumers will have greater choice. Some technologies that could boost the efficiency of the food distribution system may be resisted by consumers.     

Why Don't We Use the Same Export Barrier Measurement Scale? An Empirical Analysis in Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises

One of the most important issues addressed in research on international business, especially on SMEs, is why certain companies export more than others. A frequent explanation in the literature is that company directors and managers have different perceptions of obstacles or barriers to exporting. In that respect, in the last thirty years the literature on internationalization has studied export barriers without establishing a common classification and with no homogeneity in terms of either the number or types of existing barriers and their relative importance, nor a uniform approach to identify the most important barriers, the different types of barriers, or a scale in which they could be included. Therefore, we consider that there is a gap in the research on exporting and that it is necessary to establish a scale of exporting barriers that can be extrapolated to other studies of internationalization. Therefore, this paper seeks to review the main theoretical and empirical studies on export barriers, to propose an integrative classification of such barriers and to perform an empirical comparison of their perception so that the classification can be universally accepted and used in future studies on exports. Using a population of 2,590 companies (478 responses) and structural equations, we confirmed the four proposed dimensions or factors of export barriers, namely, knowledge, resources, procedure and exogenous barriers. The conclusions of this study offer a number of academic implications and contributions.     

世贸组织框架中的创新非关税措施及其影响

由于新贸易保护主义势力的抬头、竞争的压力、世贸组织规则实施以及科学技术的发展、消费者环保意识的强化等原因,使得世贸组织成员都采用某些措施对本国市场及产业进行保护。这些措施就是具有名义上的合理性、形式上的合法性、保护内容的广泛性、保护方式的巧妙性和隐蔽性以及保护技术上的歧视性等特点的非关税措施。然而这些保护措施的滥用,影响了世贸组织框架中的贸易保护机制的正常运行,而且导致相当一部分成员尤其是发展中成员的贸易条件趋于恶化。     

Barriers to Exporting: What are They and Who do They Matter to?

The international trade literatures on gravity modelling and firm‐level export behaviour have established that nontariff barriers are important impediments to international trade flows. In this paper, we provide fresh evidence on the actual barriers to exports firms face and how they vary with firm‐level characteristics. Our results indicate that the higher the export experience of firms the lower are the trade costs they face. These barriers are not related to other firm‐level characteristics, such as productivity and size, found by the literature to be associated with export market entry. Overall, these results suggest the existence of a process of learning to export whereby firms learn how to cope with export barriers through direct experience in export markets.     

Are there barriers to innovation in retailing?

Recent data from the Community Innovation Survey challenge some of the conventional arguments that retailing is inherently less innovative than other sectors within developed economies. According to the data, firms in the UK retail sector are now converging on the all-sector average. Drawing on qualitative research undertaken within retail firms, this article begins by examining some of the implications of this and the reasons why survey data may still underestimate the extent of innovation in the sector. One of the potential contributory factors to an increase in reported levels of innovation may be a reduction in barriers to innovation. In a new analysis of the data, the article explores the nature and incidence of such barriers in the UK. It judges that, although barriers were already perceived to be low, further reductions may have played a part in stimulating innovation. However, amongst other factors, it also notes that the sector still lacks any reliance upon universities and HEIs to assist with strategic innovation. The article further concludes that present economic conditions are likely to detrimentally affect a number of the cost and market factors, which are the most significant barriers to innovation in the sector.     

Investigating the Impact of Firm Size on Small Business Social Responsibility: A Critical Review

The impact of smaller firm size on corporate social responsibility (CSR) is ambiguous. Some contend that small businesses are socially responsible by nature, while others argue that a smaller firm size imposes barriers on small firms that constrain their ability to take responsible action. This paper critically analyses recent theoretical and empirical contributions on the size–social responsibility relationship among small businesses. More specifically, it reviews the impact of firm size on four antecedents of business behaviour: issue characteristics, personal characteristics, organizational characteristics and context characteristics. It concludes that the small business context does impose barriers on social responsibility taking, but that the impact of the smaller firm size on social responsibility should be nuanced depending on a number of conditions. From a critical analysis of these conditions, opportunities for small businesses and their constituents to overcome the constraining barriers are suggested.Jan Lepoutre is a PhD candidate in Applied Economics at Ghent University, Belgium. His dissertation focuses on the competences associated with small business social responsibility.Aimé Heene is a professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Ghent University, Belgium. He teaches strategic management for private and for public organizations and currently focuses his research on (competence-based) management in public and social profit organizations.     

2002～2003年中国经济形势分析与展望

本文对2002年中国经济发展情况进行了回顾,中国经济总量实现了高增长.经济增长的最大特点是:积极财政政策导致的投资快速增长和出口快速增长是经济增长的主要动力.经济发展中存在的主要问题是:有效需求不足、收入差距继续扩大和制度创新严重滞后.作者认为物质产品领域内需不足是客观规律造成的,最终消费的物质面需求不足的问题并不明显,物质产品供给过剩的重要原因是当代技术进步太快的结果,而第三产业内需不足是制度性的,并且是制约经济高速增长的主要原因.在此基础上,对2003年中国宏观经济增长进行了展望,并提出了解决中国经济存在问题的六点政策建议.     

An innovation resistance theory perspective on mobile payment solutions

Mobile payment solutions (MPSs) are experiencing growth and popularity across the globe because of their convenience and other benefits in performing transactions. However, despite these circumstances and the benefits offered, MPSs are still suffering from challenging situations related to their adoption and usage. The main challenge MPSs have faced in retail is because of the presence of consumer resistance toward their use. The present study investigates the different consumer barriers toward the intentions to use and recommend MPSs. The current study examines the adoption and usage of MPSs through the lens of innovation resistance. We developed the research model based on the innovation resistance theory (IRT) and tested it using a large cross-sectional study with 1256 MPS users. The study findings suggest that usage, risk, and value barriers are negatively associated with intentions to use MPSs. On the other hand, only usage and value barriers have a negative association with users’ intention to recommend MPSs. In comparison, the tradition and image barriers did not share any association with the user intentions. The study offers different implications for practitioners and researchers.     

Shattering the Glass Ceiling: Some Successful Corporate Practices

This article describes "Project Breakthrough: A Survey of Corporate Practices for Shattering the Glass Ceiling." Evidence is presented that the "glass ceiling" remains intact in many areas. A list of barriers (social sterotypes) that support the glass ceiling are presented. Some corporate strategies found in the literature are also presented. Sixty-nine companies in the Houston area were surveyed. A summary score based on responses to thirty-four practices listed in the survey were computed. The top twelve organizations were identified as "distinguished," and site visits were conducted. The practices of these companies are listed.     

The development of economic self‐sufficiency among former welfare recipients: lessons learned from Wisconsin’s welfare to work program

In 1996, the US Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, changing the culture of welfare from a system of dependency to one of personal responsibility and economic self‐sufficiency through workplace participation. Through the expert views of case managers and area employers of Wisconsin, this research sought to identify the problems and barriers to self‐sufficiency among former welfare recipients and other low‐income workers and the effectiveness of services and programs available to address these barriers. The study found situational barriers, education and learning experience barriers, personal issues and disabilities to impede the development of low‐income workers. The services found to promote the development of economic self‐sufficiency among former welfare recipients were support services, educational and learning programs, employer intervention services and counseling services. The findings suggest that these services could be expanded and made more effective through the collaborative efforts of welfare reform agencies, employers, educational institutions and community‐based organizations.     

绿色物流与国外物流发展之比较

创建我国的现代绿色物流,提倡高效节能,绿色环保,不仅是必要的,也是迫切的。随着经济全球化的发展,一些传统的关税和非关税壁垒逐渐淡化,绿色壁垒逐渐兴起。本文主要以国外的观念、政策、技术等方面的阐述,对我国倡导绿色物流起到了推波助澜的作用。     

国外实施技术性贸易壁垒的新动向及我国的应对措施

技术性贸易壁垒(TBT)作为一种无形的非关税壁垒,正日益成为国际贸易中最棘手、最难应付的贸易障碍之一,并正在对我国的出口贸易产生显著的影响。而技术标准作为发达国家实施TBT的重要手段之一,已成为当今国际经济竞争的制高点。技术标准不仅是保护国内市场的标志,而且是争夺国外市场、提高国家竞争力的有力手段,是国家利益和价值观念的载体。近年来,发达国家为了保护自身利益、限制他国发展,纷纷制定和实施标准化战略。本文首先分析了现阶段美国、日本和欧盟的主要技术标准壁垒及其标准化战略的新动向,在此基础上,从宏观和微观两个层面提出了我国应对国外技术标准壁垒的战略措施。     

绿色壁垒问题与中国的应对措施

随着多边贸易谈判的深入 ,传统关税形式的贸易壁垒逐渐消减 ,而另一种比较隐蔽的以环境保护为借口的绿色壁垒正在悄然兴起 ,并有愈演愈烈之势。绿色壁垒依据WTO中的环保条款而存在 ,并对国际贸易产生了巨大的影响 ,从而引起各国的广泛关注。对中国这样一个发展中大国而言 ,绿色壁垒问题具有更加现实的威胁。因此必须积极应对 ,趋利避害 ,推动国内产业实施绿色生产 ,方能化壁垒为通途。     

Australian Meat Industry

Abstract

Australian exports of meat account for about 46 per cent of the total Australian production of meat, and 19 per cent of total world exports of meat. About 52 and 33 per cent of Australian meat exports are sold on Asian and the American markets, respectively. However, Australia is highly restricted in its access to world meat markets by the impact of export subsidies and other trade barriers. The economic and political problems including rigid import controls are barriers to maintaining export sales on some of Australia's traditional Asian markets. The improvement in tariff barriers in Asia, the Americas and other emerging markets is expected to provide improved market access and opportunities for Australian meat. Higher processing and transportation costs beyond the farm gate also contribute to Australia's less competitiveness on world export markets. Australia should, therefore, implement appropriate measures to increase productivity, improve cost efficiency beyond the farm gate and undertake market research and promotion in order to be more competitive in the long run and to capture a sizeable market share from its major global competitors.