The Impact of Regulations on Agricultural Trade: Evidence from the SPS and TBT Agreements

According to World Trade Organization rules, countries may adopt regulations under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). We analyze the structure of these measures in agricultural trade. The inventory approach suggests that European countries have among the lowest coverage ratios of all OECD countries. Using a gravity equation, we also estimate their stringency. Our results suggest that they significantly reduce developing countries' exports to OECD countries, but do not affect trade between OECD members. Furthermore, European imports are more negatively influenced by SPS and TBTs than imports of other OECD countries. Copyright 2008, Oxford University Press.

Product architecture and product market internationalization: A conceptualization and extension

Designing a modular product architecture and corresponding organization design may enable firms to internationalize more effectively and efficiently. Open and closed, integrated, and modular product architectures may be associated with increasing product market and firm internationalization. We postulate that the more open and modular the product architecture, the easier product market internationalization becomes. We hypothesize that an open and modular product architecture may permit international product markets to become “components” within a strategy of “modular internationalization.