RAW MATERIALS, PROCESSING INCENTIVES AND FOREIGN OWNERSHIP

The effect of foreign ownership on trade policy outcomes has long been a topic of interest, but only recently have the consequences of multiple levels of production been considered. We examine processing incentives in a simplified general equilibrium framework with foreign ownership of a primary factor. Second-best considerations mean non-intervention is sub-optimal, but multiple levels of production can lead to an investment terms-of-trade effect of indeterminate sign, depending critically on the production structure. We illustrate how this may change standard conclusions regarding the effect of trade restrictions where there is foreign ownership, and optimal intervention to achieve specific policy objectives.International Relations/Trade, Productivity Analysis,

Use of a Simple Age-Structured Bioeconomic Model to Estimate Optimal Long-Run Surpluses

When the New Zealand government introduced individual transferable quotas for major commercial fish stocks, the initial allocation for some stocks exceeded their total allowable catches and made it necessary to buy back immediately some of the quota. Quota was offered back by tender. A simple age-structured bioeconomic model was used to estimate long-run optimal surpluses. From these, the maximum prices that should be paid by government for quota were derived. The use of an age-structured model proved convenient for this purpose as the necessary parameter estimates tend to arise naturally from literature sources and the population dynamics are transparent. If stocks were managed optimally, the long-run value of quota would be equivalent to the net present value of the surplus at the dynamic maximum economic yield. Long-run surpluses proved to be dependent on the relative changes in catch rates and costs of fishing which resulted from changes in stock biomass. Optimal surpluses of up to 45% of the greenweight revenues were obtained for heavily exploited, long-lived stocks. Only small long-run surpluses were obtained for short-lived or very lightly exploited stocks.Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Development of an optical fiber interferometer for detection of surface flaws in aluminum

The main objective was to demonstrate the potential of using an optical fiber interferometer (OFI) to detect surface flaws in aluminum samples. Standard ultrasonic excitation was used to generate Rayleigh surface waves. After the waves interacted with a defect, the modified responses were detected using the OFI and the results were analyzed for time-of-flight and frequency content to predict the size and location of the flaws

A Simulation Experiment of a Customs Union

Here a numerical simulation model, implemented in Excel, that can be used to expand student understanding of the theory of customs unions is presented. The model allows examination of core customs union issues including trade creation, trade diversion, and the KempWan theorem. By responding to an experimental assignment that guides them through the simulation, students are able to learn the theory in a hands-on manner. We also attempt to measure the effectiveness of our approach, and find evidence to suggest exposure to simulation improves student outcomes.

TRADE STATISTICS IN POLICYMAKING - A HANDBOOK OF COMMONLY USED TRADE INDICES AND INDICATORS

A handbook for trade indices and indicatorsTrade, indices, indicators, statistics

Highly parallel sparse Cholesky factorization

Several fine grained parallel algorithms were developed and compared to compute the Cholesky factorization of a sparse matrix. The experimental implementations are on the Connection Machine, a distributed memory SIMD machine whose programming model conceptually supplies one processor per data element. In contrast to special purpose algorithms in which the matrix structure conforms to the connection structure of the machine, the focus is on matrices with arbitrary sparsity structure. The most promising algorithm is one whose inner loop performs several dense factorizations simultaneously on a 2-D grid of processors. Virtually any massively parallel dense factorization algorithm can be used as the key subroutine. The sparse code attains execution rates comparable to those of the dense subroutine. Although at present architectural limitations prevent the dense factorization from realizing its potential efficiency, it is concluded that a regular data parallel architecture can be used efficiently to solve arbitrarily structured sparse problems. A performance model is also presented and it is used to analyze the algorithms

CHINA'S ACCESSION TO THE WTO AND IMPACTS ON LIVESTOCK TRADE AND PRODUCTION PATTERNS

This paper was presented at the INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS SYMPOSIUM in Auckland, New Zealand, January 18-19, 2001. The Symposium was sponsored by: the International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium, the Venture Trust, Massey University, New Zealand, and the Centre for Applied Economics and Policy Studies, Massey University. Dietary changes, especially in developing countries, are driving a massive increase in demand for livestock products. The objective of this symposium was to examine the consequences of this phenomenon, which some have even called a "revolution." How are dietary patterns changing, and can increased demands for livestock products be satisfied from domestic resources? If so, at what cost? What will be the flow-on impacts, for example, in terms of increased demands for feedgrains and the pressures for change within marketing systems? A supply-side response has been the continued development of large-scale, urban-based industrial livestock production systems that in many cases give rise to environmental concerns. If additional imports seem required, where will they originate and what about food security in the importing regions? How might market access conditions be re-negotiated to make increased imports achievable? Other important issues discussed involved food safety, animal health and welfare and the adoption of biotechnology, and their interactions with the negotiation of reforms to domestic and trade policies. Individual papers from this conference are available on AgEcon Search. If you would like to see the complete agenda and set of papers from this conference, please visit the IATRC Symposium web page at: http://www1.umn.edu/iatrc.intro.htmInternational Relations/Trade, Production Economics,