Information and disclosure in strategic trade policy: Revisited

In a recent paper, Creane and Miyagiwa (2008) show that the mode of competition (quantity or price) determines whether information sharing occurs between firms and governments within an international duopoly context in which the fims are located in different countries. In this paper, we show that the relative number of firms located in each country is also critical. In particular, we illustrate that with quantity competition and under the presence of demand and cost uncertainty information sharing does not occur when the number of firms in one country is higher than the number of firms in the other country. Moreover, we show that the informational prisoner's dilemma in the current context appears only when the number of firms across countries is equal.Information; uncertainty; strategic trade; multiple firms

Information Disclosure Under Different Modes of Regulation

In this study we assume that the governments are uncertain about the future product demand in a standard eco-dumping model. Allowing the governments to obtain information from firms, we examine governments.and .rms.incentives to share information. We show that, when the governments regulate the polluting .rms through emission standards, then, the governments and the .rms will reach an agreement concerning information sharing. The opposite holds, when the governments regulate pollution through emission taxes.

Second Best Environemntal Policies Under Uncertainty

We construct a strategic trade model of an international duopoly, whereby production by exporting frms generates a local pollutant. Governments use environmental policies, i.e., an emissions standard or a tax, to control pollution and for rent shifting purposes. Contrary to their .rm, however, governments are unable to perfectly foresee the actual level of demand, the cost of abatement and the damage caused from pollution. Under these modes of uncertainty we derive su�¢ cient conditions under which the governments optimally choose an emissions tax over an emissions standard.

Tradable Permits vs Ecological Dumping

In this paper we examine an alternative policy scenario, where governments allow polluting firms to trade permits in a strategic environmental policy model. We demonstrate, among other things, that with no market power in the permits market, governments of the exporting firms do not have an incentive to under-regulate pollution in order to become more competitive. This strategic effect is reversed and leads to a welfare level closer to the cooperative one and strictly higher to that when permits are non-tradable. Allowing for market power in the permits market, the incentive to under-regulate pollution re-appears regardless of whether permits are tradable or not. With tradable permits, however, the incentive to under-regulate pollution is comparatively weaker relative to the case of non-tradable permits. This entails potential benefits for the exporting firms and countries since the prisoners’ dilemma is moderated.Strategic Environmental Policy, Tradable Permits, Race to the top

Tradable Permits vs Ecological Dumping

In this paper we examine an alternative policy scenario, where governments allow polluting Ã??rms to trade permits in a strategic environmental policy model. We demonstrate, among other things, that with no market power in the permits market, governments of the exporting firms do not have an incentive to under-regulate pollution in order to become more competitive. This strategic effect is reversed and leads to a welfare level closer to the cooperative one and strictly higher to that when permits are non-tradable. Allowing for market power in the permits market, the incentive to under-regulate pollution re-appears regardless of whether permits are tradable or not. With tradable permits, however, the incentive to under-regulate pollution is comparatively weaker relative to the case of non-tradable permits. This entails potential benefits for the exporting Ã??rms and countries since the prisonersÃ??dilemma is moderated.Strategic environmental policy, Tradable permits, Race to the top

Second Best Environmental Policies under Uncertainty

We construct a strategic trade model of an international duopoly, whereby production by exporting firms generates a local pollutant. Governments use environmental policies, i.e., an emissions standard or a tax, to control pollution and for rent shifting purposes. Contrary to their firm, however, governments are unable to perfectly foresee the actual level of demand, the cost of abatement and the damage caused from pollution. Under these modes of uncertainty we derive sufficient conditions under which the governments optimally choose an emissions tax over an emissions standard.Strategic Environmental Policy, Pollution, Choice of Policy Instrument, Uncertainty

Storable good market with intertemporal cost variations

In a storable good market, we investigate a firm’s pricing policy and the welfare effects associated with the firm’s ability to commit to future prices in the presence of time-varying production costs. We show that, if costs are expected to increase, the firm’s lack of commitment leads to lower prices than full commitment when consumer storage costs are relatively small and demand is not too convex. This enhances consumer surplus and, under certain circumstances, total welfare. For intermediate consumer storage costs, the firm’s full commitment generally benefits consumers and, a fortiori, the whole economy. Our analysis provides potentially significant empirical and policy implications, especially regarding the patterns of cost pass-through rates

Storable good market with intertemporal cost variations

In a storable good market, we investigate a firm’s pricing policy and the welfare effects associated with the firm’s ability to commit to future prices in the presence of time-varying production costs. We show that, if costs are expected to increase, the firm’s lack of commitment leads to lower prices than full commitment when consumer storage costs are relatively small and demand is not too convex. This enhances consumer surplus and, under certain circumstances, total welfare. For intermediate consumer storage costs, the firm’s full commitment generally benefits consumers and, a fortiori, the whole economy. Our analysis provides potentially significant empirical and policy implications, especially regarding the patterns of cost pass-through rates

Information and disclosure in strategic trade policy: Revisited

In a recent paper, Creane and Miyagiwa (2008) show that the mode of competition (quantity or price) determines whether information sharing occurs between firms and governments within an international duopoly context in which the fims are located in different countries. In this paper, we show that the relative number of firms located in each country is also critical. In particular, we illustrate that with quantity competition and under the presence of demand and cost uncertainty information sharing does not occur when the number of firms in one country is higher than the number of firms in the other country. Moreover, we show that the informational prisoner's dilemma in the current context appears only when the number of firms across countries is equal

Integrating virtual reality and GIS tools for geological mapping, data collection and analysis: an example from Metaxa Mine, Santorini (Greece)

In the present work we highlight the effectiveness of integrating different techniques and tools for better surveying, mapping and collecting data in volcanic areas. We use an Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) approach for data collection, integrated with Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis in a well-known volcanological site in Santorini (Metaxa mine), a site where volcanic processes influenced the island’s industrial development, especially with regard to pumice mining. Specifically, we have focused on: (i) three-dimensional (3D) high-resolution IVR scenario building, based on Structure from Motion photogrammetry (SfM) modeling; (ii) subsequent geological survey, mapping and data collection using IVR; (iii) data analysis, e.g., calculation of extracted volumes, as well as production of new maps in a GIS environment using input data directly from the IVR survey; and finally, (iv) presentation of new outcomes that highlight the importance of the Metaxa Mine as a key geological and volcanological geosite