This dissertation contains three essays in strategic trade theory. They focus on the effects of trade barriers on the social welfare of an individual country through the effects of these barriers on the behavior of firms. Our analyses are undertaken in models with imperfectly competitive market structures. The assumption of imperfectly competitive market structures leads to certain conclusions that differ from those in the existing literature, where perfect competition is assumed. The first essay is a survey sampling recent papers dealing with the topics mentioned above. Specifically, we choose papers on trade barriers in imperfectly competitive markets, according to the types of models--static vs dynamic--and to the types of trade barriers--quotas, tariffs, voluntary export restraints, etc. We consider the case of almost every combination of the previous classifications. From this survey we find that once the assumption of perfect competition is removed, the outcome for a particular trade barrier depends critically on details of the model used. In the second essay, simple oligopolistic models are used to examine the welfare effects arising from a quota. The trade-off faced by a policymaker (concerned only with the welfare of his own country) when there is ’competition’ between foreign and domestic firms for a domestic market, is highlighted. Moreover, the impact of differing numbers of and cost differences between domestic and foreign firms is investigated. The third essay considers a repeated game with three players, two quantity-setting firms and one quota-setting government. In this model the differing effects of quotas and VER’s on the actions of firms are explored. The focus is on how a quota (or the threat of a quota) can be used not only to break up collusive behavior but also to prevent the firms from colluding in the first place. Further, various ways in which quotas can be used by the government to actually improve on the static Cournot-Nash equilibrium outcome are examined. This last result is somewhat surprising since typically in quantity-setting trade models the static Cournot-Nash equilibrium (though second best) is the benchmark used to judge various outcomes (i.e. the closer to the C-N equilibrium, the better the outcome). Indeed, quotas are usually considered clumsy instruments, inferior to some other industrial policy. However, careful use of the threat potential inherent in quotas is shown to enforce outcomes which approach the competitive solution. / Ph. D.

This thesis has investigated various opinions of Muslim Imams and Scholars which are reviewed and meticulously discussed while making an effort to identify certain transactions and arrive at the best and most accepted judgments pertaining to buying and selling issues in the market place. The study defines lawful and unlawful Trade Practices within the Islamic Sharīʻah and discusses rules and conditions pertaining to each. It also discusses certain types and scenarios which might be considered lawful or unlawful after investigating scholars‟ opinions and arguments. This study examines Trade Practices in the world of business and commercial transactions from an Islamic perspective and focusses on the basics of Islamic Trade Practices law. In particular, emphasis is placed on investigating lawful and unlawful Trade Practices of early Islamic commercial transactions while identifying parallels to determine modern-day transactions as sanctioned or not by the Islamic Sharīʻah. The researcher has explained that the basics of Islamic Sharīʻah guarantee the rights of both the seller and buyer with emphasis on maintaining an economy free of monopoly and cheating of any kind. While the seller is encouraged to honesty transactions and makes profit, guarantees are given to the customers that cheating or misguidance is forbidden within the spirit of true Islamic commercial transactions‟ teachings. The study has also focused on ethics as playing a decisive role in commercial transactions in a way that may affect the validity of sale contracts. Finally, the study calls for revitalising Islamic basics and rules to be more in tune with modern-day Trade Practices and business transactions in the organisation of trading in the market place and the world of business at large.

Thesis (M. P. A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Inaug.-diss.--Basel. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 109-120.

Thesis (L. LM.)--York University, 1997. Graduate Programme in Law. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 207-234). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ27372.

Thesis (M.A. 1980) from the Department of Politics, University of Adelaide.

Thesis (doctoral)--Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität in Mainz.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Bern.

Thesis (LL.M.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves i-xi).

The thesis presents an analysis of the influence of the international tin agreements (ITA) on the world tin industry between 1956 to 1985. The ITAs, the first of which came into effect in 1956, were jointly operated by tin producing and consuming countries. The International Tin Council (ITC) used a buffer stock and export controls to maintain the price of tin within a band. This experiment in stabilizing tin prices ended in October 1985, when the ITC was unable to continue its operations because it ran out of financial resources. The study first analyzes the market structure of the world tin industry in some detail. Then an econometric model which attempts to capture the behaviour of supply, demand and price of tin over the 30 year period is constructed. Particular attention was paid to the estimation of the tin production functions for major tin producing countries. In many of these countries, the output of the tin depended not only on the price of tin but also on the policies of the ITC as well as the internal political environment of the country. The model is then used to simulate a scenario in which the ITC does not intervene in the tin market. The differences in the price and revenue levels between the actual and simulated scenario are computed. The simulation results show that the tin agreements succeeded in their objective of reducing the variability of price and producers' revenue. In addition, the average level of price and revenues under the ITC regime was higher than under the non-intervention scenario. In evaluating policy options, it was shown that the establishment of a cartel is not viable in the long term for both economic and political reasons. The recommended policy options include improving access to futures markets, providing better transparency of tin market operations, the establishment of government policies which provide better incentives for tin mining and tin using industries in the major tin producing countries and continued efforts in research and development with the aim of lowering costs of production and increasing the uses for tin. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate