Mandatory Labelling or Import Ban?: Two-Country Trade with Biotechnology Products

This paper examines trade and welfare effects of biotechnology. While biotechnology lowers production costs, it also lowers perceived quality of products. Without labelling, consumers cannot distinguish between biotechnology and conventional products. In a simple general equilibrium model of two-country trade, it is shown that when a biotechnology product is invented in one country, the importing country may lose from trade under free trade without labelling. The importing country can be better off by requiring labelling for the biotechnology product. If labelling cost is high, however, the importing country may prefer to ban the import of the biotechnology product.biotechnology, genetically modified organisms, mandatory labelling, import ban, credence goods

Optimal Policy for Product R&D with Endogenous Quality Ordering: Asymmetric Duopoly

We examine the optimal R&D subsidy/tax policy under a vertically differentiated duopoly. In a significant departure from the existing work, we consider the case of asymmetric costs of product R&D where there is a small technology gap between firms. In our analysis, the endogeneity of quality ordering is explicitly taken into account. We show that the optimal policy is described by a firm-specific subsidy schedule that is contingent on firms' quality choices. The subsidy schedule not only corrects the distortion in product quality but also selects the socially preferred equilibrium. Both Bertrand and Cournot cases are analyzed.asymmetric duopoly, endogenous quality ordering, product R&D, R&D policy, vertical product differentiation

Strategic Use of Recycled Content Standards under International Duopoly

We examine the strategic use of recycled content standards (RCSs) under international duopoly. RCSs require firms supplying the domestic market to use a certain proportion of recycled materials as inputs. We demonstrate that, when there is no trade in recycled materials, two identical countries both set strategically stricter or more lax RCSs. However, when there is trade in recycled materials, it may be the case that one country sets a stricter RCS while the other sets a more lax RCS. When a world supply constraint on recycled materials is not binding, the main source of the asymmetric distortion in RCSs is a demand effect for recycled materials.recycling, recycled content standard, international trade, strategic trade policy

An Economic Theory of the SPS Agreement

Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are important policy instruments to regulate food safety and to protect the domestic ecosystem from biological invasions. However, these measures may also be used to protect domestic producers from international competition. The World Trade Organization's (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement) was established in 1995 to prevent member countries from using SPS measures discretionarily and arbitrarily. Whereas the SPS Agreement is mainly based on the risk analysis approach, economists have criticized it for its lacking economic considerations in regulating SPS measures. Despite these criticisms, I show that the SPS Agreement would contribute to establishing economically sound discipline for SPS measures by reducing the scope of the use of SPS measures for disguised protectionist purposes. However, it is not entirely free from protectionist use of SPS measures. Potential problems also arise from scientific uncertainty.

Confronting Western Conceptions of Non-Human Animal Cognition

The capabilities of non-human animals have long been subjected to philosophical consideration in the West. Over the course of a longstanding cultural dialogue about non-human animal capability, the Aristotelian view of humans as the only rational species, and consequently more valuable species in a hierarchy of being, seems to have prevailed. In this thesis, a Western view of animal cognition as “non-rational” is juxtaposed with the contemporary study of animal minds via the disciplines of comparative psychology, ethology and animal studies in order to emphasize a cognitive dissonance between historical and contemporary views. Based in part on belief in animal mind (BAM) research which correlates beliefs, attitudes and conceptions of animal minds with usage and treatment, this work will explore a possible linkage between an historical way of thinking about non-human animals as lesser-than to one particular outcome of climate change. Using an ecological feminist approach, the Western conception of non-human animal cognition will be traced through the ancient and modern historical periods to establish the Western conception as dualistic, hierarchical and characterized by a logic of domination. I contend this logic is one of many forces which drive the animal agriculture industry and in doing so, has contributed in part to the problem of climate change. Through an examination of the role that animal agriculture plays in climate change, a transition to an aspirationally vegan diet is recommended as a best practice for engaging empathetically with non-human animals and combating climate change

Illegal Extractions of Renewable Resources and International Trade with Costly Enforcement of Property Rights

Illegal extractions of renewable resources threaten sustainable use of those resources. The world community has recently paid increasing attention to the issue of illegal logging. This paper tries to explain why it is important to exclude illegally logged timber from the international market by using a stylized model in the literature of trade and renewable resources. It is shown that a fall in the price of timber may cause a switch of management regime from enforced property rights to open-access, expanding the supply of timber and reducing forest stock. When several countries export timber, an increase in illegal logging in one country due to a regime switch may also increase illegal logging in other countries. While conflicting with the GATT/WTO rules for reasons of discrimination by process and production methods (PPMs), import restrictions only on illegally logged timber will be effective to prevent the international diffusion of illegal logging.

Subsidies, Fisheries Management, and International Trade

The WTO members are conducting negotiations to clarify and improve disciplines on fisheries subsidies at the Doha Round. In this paper, I investigate how worldwide subsidy reform in the fisheries sector could affect fisheries output and resource stocks in a trading equilibrium. Using a simple static model of variable labor supply, I demonstrate that the effects of a reduction in subsidies on fisheries output will differ, depending on the conditions of the economy and fisheries management in different countries. A possible outcome of a reduction in non-capacity-enhancing subsidies is that fisheries output will rise in countries where catch quotas are not enforced and remain the same in countries where catch quotas are strictly enforced, expanding the total supply of fisheries products and reducing world fisheries resource stocks. Thus, this paper suggests that reducing some types of fisheries subsidies may yield unexpected and undesirable outcomes if fisheries resources are not properly managed.

SPIN, TRAJECTORY, AND MOTION - IN THE CASE OF BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PITCHERS –

Using mechanical principles as the basis, the trajectory of a pitched ball is determined by its initial linear and rotational velocities, the angle of release, the direction of the ball’s axis of rotation, and the air density. Among the parameters required to determine the pitched baseball trajectory, ball velocity has attracted the most attention from biomechanics researchers. However, ball velocity is only one aspect of the factors for evaluating the pitching performance. In order to make hitting more difficult for batters, the pitcher introduces spin and alters the trajectory from a simple parabolic trajectory to one in which aerodynamic forces play a significant role. In this paper, relationship between spin, trajectory and the motion will be discussed for fastball and curveball in baseball pitch. In the presentation, softball pitching will be also referred to, so far as time permits

THROWING ARM MOTION TO DETERMINE SPIN AXIS OF PITCHED BASEBALL

The purpose of the present study was to investigate a throwing arm kinematics to determine the direction of spin axis of pitched baseball. The baseball was filmed immediately after ball release using a high-speed video camera (250 Hz). The direction of the spin axis and the spin rate were calculated based on the positional changes of the marks on the ball. The throwing motion was recorded with 3-D motion analysis system (Vicon), and angles of wrist flexion/extension, radial/ulnar deviation, and forearm pronation/supination were calculated as kinematic parameters. The direction of the hand segment in global reference frame was also obtained. The spin axis direction significantly correlated with the hand direction, while, there were no special relationship between the spin axis of the ball and joint angular kinematics obtained in this study. It follows from what has been reported that pitched ball trajectory is associated with attitude of the hand when a ball was released from the fingertip

Dynamic analysis of integrally geared compressors with varying workloads

Integrally geared compressors are characterized by compact and high efficiency machines, which are widely used in modern processing industries. As an important part of integrally geared compressors, a geared rotor-bearing system exhibits complicated dynamic behaviors. When running at rated speeds, a coupling system likely produces resonance with an adjusted workload, and a critical load phenomenon occurs. The dynamic coefficients of bearings, axial force and torque, and gear meshing stiffness vary with workload because of the interaction between rotors. In this study, a dynamic model of a geared rotor-bearing system influenced by the dynamic coefficients of bearings, axial force and torque, and gear meshing stiffness is developed. The dynamic responses of the coupling system are calculated and analyzed by using a typical five-shaft integrally geared compressor as an example. The effects of different parameters on the dynamic behaviors of the proposed system are also considered in the discussion. The geared rotor-bearing system is further investigated to examine the failure mechanism of the critical load