THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF CONTINGENT PROTECTION

In recent years, several empirical studies have attempted to investigate the key influences, or determinants, of the anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) decision-making process. As a consequence, several different empirical modelling approaches have been developed using alternative, and in some cases, competing theoretical frameworks. Each approach tests empirically aspects of the AD/CVD decision-making process for evidence of particular forms of pressure that contribute to protectionist outcomes. However, the results of these studies have been somewhat inconsistent and inconclusive, possibly because the analytical scope of these studies appears to be too narrow. Hence, the current article sets for itself the important objective of developing a more general framework for modelling contingent protection empirically. A taxonomy is introduced that suggests that the types of bias affecting AD/CVD decision-makers may be separated into three broad categories: political supply pressure, industry demand pressure, and regulatory process pressure. This approach is then used to analyse recent Australian anti-dumping outcomes. The empirical results generated from the Australian data, using the taxonomy, suggest that from the supply side, the Australian government appears to be biased against the provision of AD/CVD protection. On the other hand, the results suggest that a demand-side bias appears to be present. That is, the Australian AD/CVD process appears to be weighted towards a demand, rather than supply, orientation contrary to political economy suggestions that AD/CVD policy is used as a politically driven trade policy device.     

The neglect of spatial mobility in contemporary studies of work: the case of telework

Whilst many teleworkers are increasingly working beyond home and office, these mobile teleworkers are neglected in the telework literature. This neglect is addressed through reviewing relevant literature, developing a conceptual locational framework that accounts for mobile teleworkers and the presentation of an illustrative example which links to the theme of work–life balance in the telework literature.     

Perestroika and parallelism: advanced information technology and the soviet union

This paper begins by examining the history of Soviet computer hardware and software development, in part seeking the roots of the persistent Soviet lag behind the West. Then some impressions of the current situation are given, based around visits to a leading Soviet research establishment, the Institute for Space Research. At that Institute and others. parallel architectures are being used to gain reasonable computing power from what is by contemporary Western standards mediocre hardware. Impressive expertise, particularly in software development, is to be found, but it is still operating under constraints, such as difficult access to Western technology and technologists. In the last section of the paper it is argued that it is now in the interests of both East and West to ease that access. Improving and diffusing Soviet information technology is a key goal of the process of perestroika (restructuring). Cooperation with, rather than hostility to, Soviet efforts in information technology now makes sense for the West, especially Europe, because of the possibilities for mutually beneficial trade and also because we should wish perestroika to succeed.     

THE COST OF THE U.S. SUGAR PROGRAM REVISITED

The article analyzes the welfare cost of the U.S. sugar program using a multimarket model of U.S. sweetener markets. The latter includes raw crops, sugar extraction and refining, and sweetener users (food-processing industries and final consumers). The authors address the industrial organization of food industries using sweeteners and treat the United States as a large importer. With the removal of the program, this article estimates (all figures in 1999 dollars) that in 1998 cane growers, sugar beet growers, and processors would have lost $307, $650, and $89 million, respectively; sweetener users would have gained $1.9 billion. World prices would have increased by 13.2%. The deadweight loss of the program is estimated at $532 million.     

What's In It for Me? CEOs Whose Firms Are Acquired

We study benefits received by target chief executive officers(CEOs) in completed mergers and acquisitions. Certain targetCEOs negotiate large cash payments in the form of special bonusesor increased golden parachutes. These negotiated cash paymentsare positively associated with the CEO's prior excess compensationand negatively associated with the likelihood that the CEO becomesan executive of the acquiring company. Regression estimatessuggest that target shareholders receive lower acquisition premiain transactions involving extraordinary personal treatment ofthe CEO. Target CEOs experience very high turnover rates bothat the time of acquisition and, for those who remain employed,for several years thereafter.     

Voluntary Disclosure of Nonproprietary Information: A Complete Equilibrium Characterization

The so-called disclosure principle is a 'puzzle' in the accounting literature: Game theoretic models of financial markets show that in equilibrium firms should disclose all their private information. Yet, the result is not convincing. Researchers have therefore built sophisticated models in order to demonstrate for which reasons the disclosure principle might fail. This note shows that even in the original model there are multiple equilibria. In those equilibria good types disclose and bad types do not. The commonly known full disclosure equilibrium is a limit point of the equilibrium set.