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Country Asymmetries, Endogenous Product Choice and the Speed of Trade Liberalization

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  • Cabrales, Antonio
  • Motta, Massimo

Abstract

We analyse the effects of trade liberalization on firms' decisions and profits, and on consumers' welfare, in a product differentiation model with countries of different size. Firms decide product specifications at the beginning of the game, in which autarky is followed by trade liberalization (whose date is anticipated). Despite the heterogeneity, the highest level of welfare is attained for both countries when trade opens immediately. The impact on firms' profits can differ, however. Small country's firms benefit from larger market size but are disadvantaged when the scale of the home market affects the product choice decision. The opposite is true for the firm located in the large country.

Suggested Citation

  • Cabrales, Antonio & Motta, Massimo, 1996. "Country Asymmetries, Endogenous Product Choice and the Speed of Trade Liberalization," CEPR Discussion Papers 1326, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:1326
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    Cited by:

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    3. Moner-Colonques, Rafael, 1998. "Cost uncertainty and trade liberalization in international oligopoly," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 369-376, August.
    4. Tharakan, Joe & Thisse, Jacques-Francois, 2002. "The importance of being small. Or when countries are areas and not points," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 381-408, May.
    5. Herguera, Iñigo & Lutz, Stefan, 1997. "Trade policy and leapfrogging," UC3M Working papers. Economics 7214, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
    6. Bacchetta, Marc & Jansen, Marion, 2003. "Adjusting to trade liberalization: The role of policy, institutions and WTO Disciplines," WTO Special Studies, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division, volume 7, number 7.
    7. José J. Sempere Monerris & Rafael Moner Colonques & Amparo Urbano Salvador, 2010. "Trade liberalization in vertically related markets," Working Papers. Serie AD 2010-09, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    8. Tharakan, J., 2001. "Revisiting “On nations’ size and transportation costs”," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2001032, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Country Size; International Trade; Product Differentiation; Trade Liberalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration

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