International Economics Commons^™

Three Essays On International Economics: Global Value Chains Of Singapore And The Cptpp; The Effects Of Oil Price Shocks On Trade, Tran Bao Phuong Nguyen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation discusses two questions in international economics. The first two chapters focus on the matter of global value chains. We first explore the participation of Singapore in the global value chains by characterizing the position of Singapore in the global network and identifying Singapore’s key upstream and downstream trade partners. This is done at both the country aggregate and at the sector level. We trace how the country’s position in global value chains has changed in the past two decades: whether it has moved upstream or downstream, how involved it is in global value chains, how its trend compares …

Globalization And Top Income Shares, Lin Ma, Dimitrije Ruzic

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper documents empirically that access to global markets is associated with a higher executive-to-worker pay ratio within the firm. It then uses China's 2001 accession to the World Trade Organization as a trade shock to show that firms that exported to China prior to 2001 subsequently exported more, grew larger, and grew more unequal in terms of executive-to-worker pay. To evaluate analytically and quantitatively the impacts of globalization on top income inequality, this paper builds a model with heterogeneous firms, occupational choice, and executive compensation. In the model, executive compensation grows with the size of the firm, while the …

Credibility And Nationalism In Narrative Economics, Dong Wang

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Narratives such as news, messages and stories can affect people’s thinking and become significant factors in decision-making. Shiller (2017) uses the term “narrative economics” to describe a new economic subfield that studies how stories people tell each other affect economic fluctuations. This thesis considers the economic and political role of narratives in newspapers and social media. It consists of three chapters. Chapter 2 examines how information credibility affects the asset pricing of stocks and cryptocurrencies under news shocks. We first apply well-trained multiclassification algorithms in machine learning to analyse data drawn from newspapers and social media. Then we calculate the …

The Effects Of The African Continental Free Trade Agreement On Africa's Regional Economic Communities: An Empirical Analysis, Elizabeth Zhu

Undergraduate Economic Review

This study examines the economic effects of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on three regional economic communities in Africa: COMESA, ECOWAS, and CEMAC. It scrutinizes the effects of the agreement on Africa’s largest trading partners: the EU, China, and America. Three scenarios are modelled using the GTAP CGE model: a removal of tariffs on 97% of goods, a removal of non-tariff barriers, and a combination of the previous two scenarios. The findings show that the welfare of all African regions increases due to AfCFTA, but to varying degrees, with CEMAC benefiting the least of the three regional blocs.

Three Essays On International Trade Policies, Xin Yi

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation studies the empirical and quantitative implications of trade policies. The first chapter examines the effects of trade policies on quality specialization across cities within a country. Specifically, we complement the quality specialization literature in international trade and study how larger cities within a country produce goods with higher quality. We first establish three stylized facts on how product quality is related to agglomeration, firm productivity, and worker skills. We then rationalize these facts in a spatial equilibrium model where all the elements mentioned above are present and firms are free to choose their locations. Using firm-level data from …

Contemporary High-Skilled Mexican Immigrant Entrepreneurs In Texas, Elizabeth Salamanca, Jorge Alcaraz

Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center Research

The number of Mexican entrepreneurs relocating to the United States has significantly increased during the last decade and their profile, as well as that of their businesses, have changed. This study develops a typology of Mexican migrant entrepreneurs living in the U.S., particularly in Texas, and of the business ventures that they undertake, and it determines the association between the entrepreneurs' profile and the kind of businesses they create. Through the analysis of migrant entrepreneurs' profiles, this paper identifies in what kind of transnational activities these entrepreneurs participate. The research follows both a qualitative approach based on the Gioia methodology …

Efficiency, Quality Of Forecasts And Radner Equilibria, Shurojit Chatterji, Atsushi Kajii

Research Collection School Of Economics

We study a simple two period economy with no uncertainty and complete markets where agents trade based on forecasts about the second period spot price. We propose as our solution concept a set of forecasts with the following properties: there exist (heterogenous) forecasts contained in this set that lead to efficient allocations, the set contains only those forecasts that correspond to some efficient equilibrium, and Önally that the forecasts assign positive probability to the actual market clearing spot price. We call such a set of prices an efficient equilibrium with ambiguity, and interpret it as a generalization of Radner equilibrium …

Land Policy And Welfare In China, Xin Zou

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation quantitatively studies the impact of land policy on welfare in China. There are two specific nationwide land policies of importance on which I focus: 1) The red-line policy that imposes a minimum 1.2 million square kilometers for agricultural use only 2) The zoning policy for urban land that strictly regulates the amount of industrial and residential land usages respectively; In the first chapter, I give an introduction about the land policy and institutional background in China and the related literature to my dissertation. Second chapter builds a two-sector(two-region) model to examine how the red-line policy interacts with land …

Do Oil Price Returns Impact Exchange Rates Fluctuations: Evidence From The Top Four Oil Importing Countries In Asia – China, India, Japan And South Korea, Alexander Nti

Doctoral Dissertations (DBA)

Using daily data obtained from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis database, we convert oil price and exchange rates to first difference logarithm to examine the link between oil price and exchange rates. We apply Johansen Cointegration models to examine relationship between the series, and our results indicate the variables are not cointegrated. Augmented Dicky Fuller test indicates that the series are nonstationary at level, but stationary at first difference. Impulse response analysis based on unrestricted vector autoregressive (VAR) yields varying results for the relationship between oil price and exchange rates across the currencies of the four countries considered. Thus, …

Cross-Border Technology Investments In Recessions, Juliana Yu Sun, Huanhuan Zheng

Research Collection School Of Economics

Utilizing industry-level foreign direct investment (FDI) from 72 source markets to 122 destination markets between 2003 to 2018, we apply a differences-in-differences approach to evaluate the response of technology FDI to recessions. We find that research and development (R&D) intensive FDI drops when the destination market is in recession and the source market is in a normal state, and recovers to the pre-recession levels when both destination and source markets are in recession. The result is particularly pronounced in deep and long recessions, during the propagation stage of recessions, and in destination markets with stronger intellectual property protection, looser FDI …

The Economic Implications Of Eliminating Coal Subsidies In G7 Countries, Rachel M. Kim, Pradnaya S. Pathak

Undergraduate Economic Review

This paper analyzes the economic implications of eliminating coal subsidies in G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States) in light of the Paris Agreement and the 2009 commitment to addressing climate change. The study uses a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model and contains three different simulations: production subsidy removal, consumption subsidy removal, and both consumption and production subsidy removal in G7 nations. Three variables were analyzed: economic welfare, market price, and output quantity. The results obtained using the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) indicate that coal price increases and output quantity decreases, while economic welfare varies.

Projects Of Economic And Social Development In The Global South: The 20th And 21st-Century Developmental Trends And Their Impacts, Malachi Okechi Chukwu

2020 Symposium Posters

In the 1950’s Western countries promised to promote economic development in the underdeveloped world. However, the Global South remains behind, trapped in abject poverty. Eurocentric literature produced by mainstream scholars of economic growth in the past seven decades has continually promoted Structural Adjustment Programs and Millennium Development Goals designed to improve the Global South. Tragically, each of the West’s prescribed economic models failed at the expense of people of the Global South. The failure of Western promised growth led to an opportunity for China to offer an alternative model. Additionally, the long-term effects of the prescribed models of development have …

Assessing The Determinants Of The Human Development Index In Oil-Dependent Nations, Adrian Fossaceca

Undergraduate Economic Review

Numerous rentier states from around the world derive all or a fundamental portion of their national revenues from the rent of natural resources. These revenues are essential for the policy-making strategies pertaining to social welfare programs and for the funding of development projects within the country. In order to determine the effectiveness of rentier states in terms of development promotion, this paper will utilize the Human Development Index (HDI) as a proxy variable for development levels. Regression analysis indicates that a substantial proportion of the variation of the Human Development Index in oil-dependent economies can be explained by the adolescent …

Dispute Initiation In The World Trade Organization: An Evaluation Of Trade Complaints Filed With The U.S. Trade Representative’S Office Between 1995 And 2004, Jennifer Dikler

Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the determinants of dispute settlement prior to formal WTO proceedings, utilizing 2,334 complaints filed with the USTR between 1995 and 2004. My results affirm that the gravity model continues to hold explanatory power in explaining WTO dispute initiation, as do the characteristics of the barrier itself.

Mentoring Effects On Microbusiness Growth In Medellín, Colombia, Diana Herrera

Master's Theses

Microbusinesses are stagnant in growth across least developed countries due to their lack of managerial skills and limited access to the credit market. Current business methods aimed at increasing profitability for microentrepreneurs with limited capital in developing countries are only moderately successful in increasing growth. Having a mentor that has a localized business understanding can provide their mentee with the proper guidance on how to effectively manage their business to increase growth. This paper presents the results for a randomized controlled trial which identifies the average treatment effects of meeting with a mentor and observes the impact on business growth …

Income Inequality In America: Conclusions From 100 Years Of Income Tax Data And Cross-Country Comparisons, Noriel Campos

Master's Theses

In 1913, taxation of income was permanently introduced in the United States. Other similarly developed countries soon followed suit. From there, income inequality in the United States dropped significantly, and the decline in Europe was even more dramatic. First, this paper considers the changes over time of the share of national income gained by the top 1% of income earners in seven countries going back to World War Two. A second analysis considers the impact that tax policy may have had on the share of income accruing to the top 1% of U.S. income earners between 1980 and 2014, a …

The Role Of High-Fructose Corn Syrup Imports In Child And Women Obesity, Anna Subirana Bofill

Master's Theses

High Fructose Corn Syrup is believed to be responsible for the increase of the obesity epidemic that is affecting both developed and developing countries, yet to date there are no rigorous analyses that quantify this effect. To estimate the impact of consumption of HFCS on obesity, I have paired country-specific data on imports of HFCS from the United Nations International Trade Statistics Database (UN Comtrade) with women and child health data from around 70 countries from 1985 to 2018. The results show that conditional on space and time fixed effects, imports of HFCS with a high concentration of fructose have …

Liberté, Égalité, Manifester: Explaining The Yellow Vest Movement In France, Brady L. Cole

Honors Theses

Les Gilets Jaunes, or the yellow vests, is a movement of protestors that have had a large presence in France since 2018. Beginning as an online petition against French President Emmanuel Macron’s fuel tax hike, the movement has quickly amassed several hundred thousand protestors in Paris and other cities across the country. It is the objective of this thesis to examine potential reasons why 300,000 people have felt the need to protest throughout France, apart from the now rescinded fuel tax.

To this end, a sample of data from the Varieties of Democracy database was selected. These variables covered various …

Imitators To Creators: The Emergence Of A Confident National Identity In Contemporary Korea As Observed Through K-Pop And Masculinity, Kaitlyn Diane Read

Honors Theses

South Korea’s national narrative has evolved from one familiar with destruction and outside control to one that can now afford to be more challenging and confrontational. Korea’s ascent to both economic and political prominence on the international landscape in record time is well established. The rapid transformation currently impacts Korean society with the country choosing to concentrate on strengthening its soft power and nation brand exporting. This thesis aims to reveal how Korea’s recently acquired position of significance on the global stage permits the Korean national identity to be assured and stimulating, in contrast with a derivative narrative once perceived …

Currency Internationalization: The Case Of The Rmb, Daniel Powell

Business and Economics Honors Papers

Currency internationalization could be considered as one of the primary facets of globalization in the modern world. Today, the US dollar accounts for nearly eighty-five percent of all global transactions, both in trade and finance. However, as China’s power has risen in the past few decades, many have pondered whether the Chinese currency, the RenMinBi (RMB), can internationalize. This study examines the literature on what components create an international currency. Then, we examine the characteristics of China’s financial markets and international relations to become familiar with the scholarly discourse surrounding China’s financial markets, international influence, and monetary stability. We then …

An Econometric Analysis Of Bilateral Import Demand In South Africa, Christopher Smith

Dissertations

One of the most significant challenges facing any society is the allocation of scarce economic resources that have alternative uses. Though imports can streamline the allocation of scarce resources in an economy, the potency of a country’s import policies are subject to the magnitude of import elasticities with respect to income, domestic prices, foreign prices, and exchange rates. This research estimates the bilateral income, domestic price, import price, and exchange rate elasticities between South Africa and its five largest trading partners: China, Germany, the United States, India, and Saudi Arabia using quarterly data from 1998 – 2017. The bounds testing …

Is China Stealing Our Tech? A Look Into The Role Of Intellectual Property Rights In Us-China Trade Relations, Ryan Chester

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis aims to further the current scholarship on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and their effects on international trade and the US-China trade relationship more specifically. The main analysis of this thesis is a quantitative cross-country analysis of over 100 countries to see how IPR plays a role in international trade, while analyzing how the Sino-US trade relationship fits into larger trends. This thesis aims to answer the questions as follows: What are the current policies surrounding Intellectual Property Rights between China and the US? Does increasing the strength of IPR laws influence imports? Does the strength of a country’s …

Cultivating Alternative Subsistence Farming Practices In Dangriga, Belize, Alexander Johnson

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Subsistence farming, also referred to as backyard farming, is an important opportunity for families in areas of low economic status. Small scale poultry farming is another practice often used by families in similar situations because of the financial and nutritional benefits provided. By combining the two practices in a process where they each benefit from the other, a sustainable system can be created. The poultry-garden system can provide a source of food for the household and, if run effectively, supplemental income can be generated through the sale of excess poultry, eggs, or vegetation. This project attempted to take the concept …

Cruise Ship Ports And Human Capital Development The Case Of Mexico, Jorge Herrera

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

The cruise ship industry, the fastest-growing segment in the leisure travel market, has contributed significantly to the economic transformation of developing countries, particularly in the Caribbean Basin. This paper applies a difference-in-differences methodology to examine the causal impact of the introduction of cruise ship ports on human capital development in Mexico, as reflected by educational attainment. Using variations in school enrollment, segregated by gender and age across states and municipalities, I find that the economic consequences derived from this form of tourism do not translate into incremental, permanent improvements in all quality of life indicators considered, most saliently in schooling. …

Three Essays On Quality Of Tradable Products, Angdi Lu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation includes three essays on the quality of tradable products. The first chapter studies the supply-side determinants of quality specialization across Chinese cities. Specifically, we complement the quality specialization literature in international trade and study how larger cities within a country produce goods with higher quality. In our general equilibrium model, firms in larger cities specialize in higher-quality products because agglomeration benefits (arising from the treatment effect of agglomeration and firm sorting) accrue more to skilled workers, who are also more efficient in upgrading quality, although these effects are partially mitigated by higher skill premium in larger cities. Using …

Mind Your Youth: Youth Unemployment And Islamic Radicalization, Caleb Ray

Honors Theses

This study examines the potential existence of a correlation between youth unemployment and Islamic Radicalization in the MENA using data from the World Bank, the Global Terrorism Database, and the Arab Barometer. It aims to add to the current body of research regarding socioeconomic drivers for radicalization and terrorism.

Exchange Rate Regimes And Economic Growth, Amandarae Matthew

Undergraduate Theses

This paper explores the relationship between economic growth and exchange rate regimes among countries of lower income, lower middle income, upper middle income, and high-income countries. Countries must make careful consideration when choosing an exchange rate regime because each regime can have different long-term effects. A cross section pooled time series data will be used for a sample of 42 countries over the period of 2000-2018. Multiple models will examine the various relationships between types of exchange rate regimes, changes in exchange rate regimes, and economic growth. The components of the models being tested include political stability, change in terms …

The Nuances Of Capital Controls In Economic Development: Argentina And Chile, Reagan A. Shane

Global Tides

In this paper, I analyze the ways that capital controls affect growth and economic development in developing countries and emerging market economies and use the historical evidence of Chile and Argentina to demonstrate how countries may experience the effects of capital controls in different proportions. I then review additional academic literature and historical evidence in Chile and Argentina to determine what factors seem to determine the success or failure of capital control strategies. I find two influential factors in the determination of whether implementation of capital controls helps or hurts economic growth and development. The first is whether capital controls …

Econ 319: A Closer Look Into Trade With Madagascar, Casey Williams

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Trade may seem like simple transaction between two parties, but in reality, trading comes with many boundaries and challenges that may not be easy to see from the outside. This research was conducted by collecting data about Madagascar’s trade with the United States, the types and amount of products being imported and exported, and a closer look at each economy. In our course, we discussed how the Gravity Model, the idea that most countries will find it easiest and most efficient to trade with big economies that are close rather than ones that are farther away, plays a vital role …

Morocco’S Informal Economy: The Role Of Rotating Savings In Rabat, Grace Lamendola, Hicham Ait Mansour

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

This research project is a case study concerned with how the practice of Rotational Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs) function within Rabat, Morocco. Research was guided by the following questions: Why is this form of money management utilized? Who is the typical participant in ROSCAs? What sort of purchases are financed through this practice? And what does the changing popularity of ROSCAs mean for future generations? In order to begin answering these questions I collected considerable qualitative data throughout my four-month long stay in the Medina of Rabat during Fall of 2019. I also supplemented this data with secondary research …