Trade and foreign direct investment management strategies for U.S. processed food firms in China

This research examines the relationship between U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) and exports of processed foods to China and identifies management strategies to enhance U.S. competitiveness. Two-stage least-squares empirical econometric results from a simultaneous equation system indicate that there exists a strong complementary relationship between U.S. exports and FDI into China. Therefore, the appropriate managerial strategy to access Chinese processed foods markets is to increase overall business activity, both FDI and exports into China.     

美国对中国反倾销的贸易效应:基于木制卧室家具的实证分析

本文探究了美国对中国木制卧室家具反倾销的贸易效应,研究发现:(1)美国对中国木制卧室家具反倾销产生了贸易调查效应,课征反倾销税对美国该行业进口产生了显著的贸易限制效应,实施反倾销措施引致了美国进口向越南、马来西亚和印度尼西亚转移,并促使中国木制卧室家具出口发生国家间贸易转移,特别是家具产品间贸易转移。(2)美国对中国木制卧室家具反倾销引致了价格上升效应。外国直接投资旨在跨越反倾销税壁垒,但增强了企业之间的竞争,由此减少甚至逆转美国反倾销政策的保护作用。美国对中国WBF反倾销已导致部分外资家具企业开始向第三国转移投资。本文建议中国商务部可引导建立行业预警机制,鼓励WBF企业加强研发和设计创新,被控企业应积极应诉,谋求市场导向行业地位;鼓励和支持中国WBF企业开拓国际市场,努力实现出口市场多元化。     

Competition within the U.S. National Security Regime: A study of the U.S. Aerospace Defense Sector

This article examines the aerospace defense sector and the national export control regime within which U.S. corporations operate. While the U.S. federal government plays many roles in this industry, the focus here is on its role as regulator of defense exports from the United States. From this vantage point, ten case studies illustrate the difficulties faced by companies in this challenging environment, and highlight factors that lead to noncompliance with U.S. government regulations. Firm performance effects are investigated, including impacts on profits, share price, and reputation. The paper concludes with implications for international management practice and international business research that reflect realities in the aerospace defense sector.     

An analysis of export market strategies and barriers perceptions by U.S. agricultural HVP exporters

This study identifies barriers perceived by agricultural exporters and examines how these perceptions influence use of export market strategies. Ordered logit models are used to estimate effects of perceived barriers and firm characteristics on export market strategies. The results from these models show that perceptions about import restrictions influence use of diversification of exports across products, competition influences use of competitive export pricing, and overseas product regulations affect product adaptation for export markets.     

Analysis of forces affecting competitive position of Mexico in supplying U.S. winter melon market

An econometric model representing the United States, Mexico and Caribbean nations melon sectors was estimated to analyze the primary economic forces influencing Mexico’s competitiveness in the U.S. winter melon market, a period when about two-thirds of U.S. consumption is imported. Results show peso-devaluation to be important in the short-run and yield-enhancing technology to be important in the short- and long-run. Increased rates of growth in Mexican yields were about six times more effective at increasing market share than NAFTA provisions which phase-out U.S. tariffs. An accelerated rate of growth in Mexican per capita income was found to reduce melon exports about 75% while higher wages would reduce exports about 20% in the long-run.     

How does homeland security affect U.S. firms' international competitiveness?

This paper frames the issue of homeland security and its relationship to the international competitiveness of U.S. firms in general. This is largely a conceptual statement, identifying the areas of national security (homeland security) that are key to business, and exploring the management concerns of business to the new threats and opportunities that have arisen.We establish the point that homeland security is a purposeful, conscious, and rational response to terrorist events that is an emergent and evolving systems phenomenon. This systems approach is an especially useful way to look at the implications of homeland security in its relation to business. We then look specifically at the kinds of costs and risks that are generated for U.S. international business (exports, imports, incoming and outgoing investments) as a result of this phenomenon. Management strategies for dealing with these costs and risks are explored for U.S. firms.Our conclusion is to demonstrate the scope of analysis that is needed to understand and to managerially cope with the homeland security problem. We show the value of using theory from various disciplines for analyzing a multi-dimensional problem like this. And finally we are able to recommend some policy dimensions for both companies and the U.S. Government toward mitigating the negative impacts of the homeland security problem.     

Market opportunities and threats to the U.S. pork industry posed by traceability systems

This paper demonstrates that the U.S. pork industry is lagging its principal international competitors and major international customers in terms of developing programs for traceability, transparency, and assurance (TTA). The primary areas of weakness in U.S. TTA programs are at the producer-level and in the area of providing consumers quality assurance regarding inputs used in producing pork products. We conclude that the U.S. pork industry may diminish its competitive advantage in world pork markets if it fails to enhance its TTA programs.     

Optimal Tracking and Testing of U.S. and Canadian Herds for BSE: A Value-of-Information (VOI) Approach

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tests a subset of cattle slaughtered in the United States for bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE). Knowing the origin of cattle (U.S. vs. Canadian) at testing could enable new testing or surveillance policies based on the origin of cattle testing positive. For example, if a Canadian cow tests positive for BSE, while no U.S. origin cattle do, the United States could subject Canadian cattle to more stringent testing. This article illustrates the application of a value-of-information (VOI) framework to quantify and compare potential economic costs to the United States of implementing tracking cattle origins to the costs of not doing so. The potential economic value of information from a tracking program is estimated to exceed its costs by more than five-fold if such information can reduce future losses in export and domestic markets and reduce future testing costs required to reassure or win back customers. Sensitivity analyses indicate that this conclusion is somewhat robust to many technical, scientific, and market uncertainties, including the current prevalence of BSE in the United States and/or Canada and the likely reactions of consumers to possible future discoveries of BSE in the United States and/or Canada. Indeed, the potential value of tracking information is great enough to justify locating and tracking Canadian cattle already in the United States when this can be done for a reasonable cost. If aggressive tracking and testing can win back lost exports, then the VOI of a tracking program may increase to over half a billion dollars per year.     

The Role of Behavioral Responses in the Total Economic Consequences of Terrorist Attacks on U.S. Air Travel Targets

U.S. airports and airliners are prime terrorist targets. Not only do the facilities and equipment represent high‐value assets, but the fear and dread that is spread by such attacks can have tremendous effects on the U.S. economy. This article presents the methodology, data, and estimates of the macroeconomic impacts stemming from behavioral responses to a simulated terrorist attack on a U.S. airport and on a domestic airliner. The analysis is based on risk‐perception surveys of these two scenarios. The responses relate to reduced demand for airline travel, shifts to other modes, spending on nontravel items, and savings of potential travel expenditures by U.S. resident passengers considering flying domestic routes. We translate these responses to individual spending categories and feed these direct impact results into a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the U.S. economy to ascertain the indirect and total impacts on both the airline industry and the economy as a whole. Overall, the estimated impacts on GDP of both types of attacks exceed $10B. We find that the behavioral economic impacts are almost an order of magnitude higher than the ordinary business interruption impacts for the airliner attack and nearly two orders of magnitude higher for the airport attack. The results are robust to sensitivity tests on the travel behavior of U.S. residents in response to terrorism.     

International investment motivations of U.S. wineries

This study used personal and telephone interviews of wine industry executives and observers to examine the foreign direct investment motivations of U.S. wineries. Underlying most winery motivations was the recognition that U.S. wineries sense increasing pressure to offer a competitive range of wines that meet the price/quality needs of consumers and retailers in important markets and market segments. Wineries’ marketing plans are often constrained by their ability to obtain adequate grape and juice supplies that meet important price and quality criteria, especially when domestic grape production drops. The importance of product portfolios and the industry’s resource dependence have placed tremendous pressures on U.S. wineries to coordinate winegrape and juice acquisitions, especially as retailers consolidate their supply chains. Some U.S. wineries have invested abroad in response to these pressures while others have not. Interview results suggest that foreign investments by U.S. wineries were primarily motivated by the need for greater access to stable or adequate winegrape/juice supplies, the need for more control over the winegrape costs within given quality levels, and the desire to expand wine portfolios.     

次贷危机前后国际原油市场与中美股票市场间的协动性研究

本文运用基于动态条件相关的多元GARCH(DCC-MVGARCH)模型,对美国次信贷危机发生前后国际原油市场和中、美股票市场间的协动性变化进行了研究。实证结果表明在次信贷危机发生后,国际原油市场与中、美股票市场间的协动性有了明显的增强,不同市场间的波动具有明显的传导作用。国际原油市场与美国股市的协动性相对于中国股市波动性更强,说明冲击在国际原油市场与美国股市间的传导更强烈,其协动性对冲击的反应更敏感。另外,运用偏最小二乘方法(PLS)对影响国际原油市场和中、美股票市场的诸多因素在次信贷危机爆发前后对协动性解释能力的变化进行了分析,结果发现次信贷危机对这些因素的解释能力有明显的影响。     

Flexible manufacturing systems performance in U.S. automotive manufacturing plants: a case study

Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) philosophy is a key weapon in achieving global manufacturing competitiveness. It encompasses a wide range of dimensions to improve all aspects of operational performance metrics. The aim of the study is to examine the current state of flexibility adoption in U.S. automotive manufacturing facilities and its impact on operational performance metrics. It utilizes survey questionnaire developed based on previous work in U.S. manufacturing industry. The survey was originally distributed to 420 facility managers in the U.S. domestic automotive industry. It was revealed that 70% of the respondents had implemented all 15 flexibility dimensions listed in the questionnaire. The data analysis conducted shows that implementation of certain flexibility dimensions will lead to significant improvement in specific operational performance metrics. This considerable finding can be used as a guide for manufacturing managers to achieve certain objectives in operational performance improvement in a rapidly changing environment.     

The benefits and costs of U.S. employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates

In 2021, the Biden Administration issued mandates requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for U.S. federal employees and contractors and for some healthcare and private sector workers. These mandates have been challenged in court; some have been halted or delayed. However, their costs and benefits have not been rigorously appraised. This study helps fill that gap. We estimate the direct costs and health-related benefits that would have accrued if these vaccination requirements had been implemented as intended. Compared with the January 2022 vaccination rates, we find that the mandates could have led to 15 million additional vaccinated individuals, increasing the overall proportion of the fully vaccinated U.S. population from 64% to 68%. The associated net benefits depend on the subsequent evolution of the pandemic—information unavailable ex ante to analysts or policymakers. In scenarios involving the emergence of a novel, more transmissible variant, against which vaccination and previous infection offer moderate protection, the estimated net benefits are potentially large. They reach almost $20,000 per additional vaccinated individual, with more than 20,000 total deaths averted over the 6-month period assessed. In scenarios involving a fading pandemic, existing vaccination-acquired or infection-acquired immunity provides sufficient protection, and the mandates’ benefits are unlikely to exceed their costs. Thus, mandates may be most useful when the consequences of inaction are catastrophic. However, we do not compare the effects of mandates with alternative policies for increasing vaccination rates or for promoting other protective measures, which may receive stronger public support and be less likely to be overturned by litigation.     

显性比较优势、产业内贸易与中美双边贸易平衡

本文有如下创新和结论:(1)细化行业分类到SITC4分位数据,改进RCA指数测算方法,揭示出中国对美工业制造品出口具有显著比较优势的商品组,排序为:杂项制品66类、原料制品51类、机械与运输设备36类。(2)将产业内贸易调整指数方法运用到中美产业内贸易研究,证实中美工业制造品静态产业内贸易平衡状况较差,大多数商品组趋向产业间贸易,少数商品组表现为垂直产业内贸易。(3)GL指数和Cj指数无法反映产业内贸易失衡程度和方向,本文提出产业内贸易失衡指数,揭示出加重中美工业制造品贸易失衡和对贸易失衡起到平衡作用的商品组。(4)认为Thorpe和Zhang(2005)给出的动态产业内贸易指数分子中分类集合加总会造成扭曲,本文改进了该动态指数,并证实中美工业制造品动态产业内贸易失衡状况比静态产业内贸易失衡状况更差,中美贸易逆差难以改变。     

Limited Information and Advertising in the U.S. Personal Computer Industry

Traditional discrete‐choice models assume buyers are aware of all products for sale. In markets where products change rapidly, the full information assumption is untenable. I present a discrete‐choice model of limited consumer information, where advertising influences the set of products from which consumers choose to purchase. I apply the model to the U.S. personal computer market where top firms spend over $2 billion annually on advertising. I find estimated markups of 19% over production costs, where top firms advertise more than average and earn higher than average markups. High markups are explained to a large extent by informational asymmetries across consumers, where full information models predict markups of one‐fourth the magnitude. I find that estimated product demand curves are biased toward being too elastic under traditional models. I show how to use data on media exposure to improve estimated price elasticities in the absence of micro ad data.     

An exploratory analysis of global managerial mindsets: a case of U.S. textile and apparel industry

Increase in business across international borders has led to many studies demonstrating the need for “global” managers. However, few operational frameworks for a global mindset have been proposed. This paper discusses the characteristics of such a global mindset in terms of conceptualization/contextualization abilities. In particular, the paradigm developed by Kefalas [Thunderbird Int. Bus. Rev. 40 (6) (1998) 547-561] was used to determine whether managers in U.S. textile and apparel industries can be defined as “globally minded”. Empirical results indicate that U.S. managers scored higher on conceptualization than on contextualization. The study demonstrates the importance of training on the development of global mindsets and the need for U.S. managers to improve their abilities in adapting to the local context, i.e., contextualization. It is recommended that global corporations should place more emphasis on the training of these skills prior to international assignments of their managers.     

Economic impact of a ban on the use of over the counter antibiotics in U.S. swine rations

The U.S. pork industry routinely adds antibiotics to rations of weaned pigs both to prevent illness before symptoms emerge and to increase growth rates. The European Union (EU) is in the process of restricting feed use of antibiotics, and the U.S. is currently reviewing the practice. The strategic issue facing U.S. pork producers is whether another food safety dispute with the EU is worthwhile. This paper evaluates the economic impact of such a ban in the U.S. The analysis uses a set of technical assumptions derived from the experience of a similar ban in Sweden and finds such a ban would increase production costs per head between $5.24 and $6.05; net profit would decline $0.79 per head. On the consumer side, the effects of a ban would raise the retail price of pork by 5 cents per pound.     

Long-term planning in the U.S.S.R.

This article illustrates the U.S.S.R. approach to long-term planning and the relationship of cooperative planning within the Comecon countries. The conception of planning which the author puts forward is comprehensive and is illustrative of what is being attempted at the macro level in the centrally planned economies.     

An Analysis of Damage to U.S. Soybean Yields from 1982 Acid Deposition Levels

Experimental data were compiled for seven soybean varieties studied at four different locations in the U.S. for a period of one to three years. Three dose–response functions (linear, quadratic, and Weibull) were fitted, as appropriate, to the experimental data. Effects of acid deposition on soybean yields were estimated by combining variety-specific dose–response and production data. These calculations suggest that U.S. soybean production (2.2 billion bushels in 1982) would increase by 3.2 million bushels with a 10% reduction in 1982 hydrogen ion concentration levels in all counties where soybeans were grown, and by almost 70 million bushels with uniform improvement to pH 5.2. These estimates are based on many simplifying assumptions and are subject to several important sources of uncertainty explored in this study. The calculated changes are small in comparison with effects from other natural and anthropogenic stresses.     

Disease Spread Models to Estimate Highly Uncertain Emerging Diseases Losses for Animal Agriculture Insurance Policies: An Application to the U.S. Farm‐Raised Catfish Industry

Emerging diseases (ED) can have devastating effects on agriculture. Consequently, agricultural insurance for ED can develop if basic insurability criteria are met, including the capability to estimate the severity of ED outbreaks with associated uncertainty. The U.S. farm‐raised channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) industry was used to evaluate the feasibility of using a disease spread simulation modeling framework to estimate the potential losses from new ED for agricultural insurance purposes. Two stochastic models were used to simulate the spread of ED between and within channel catfish ponds in Mississippi (MS) under high, medium, and low disease impact scenarios. The mean (95% prediction interval (PI)) proportion of ponds infected within disease‐impacted farms was 7.6% (3.8%, 22.8%), 24.5% (3.8%, 72.0%), and 45.6% (4.0%, 92.3%), and the mean (95% PI) proportion of fish mortalities in ponds affected by the disease was 9.8% (1.4%, 26.7%), 49.2% (4.7%, 60.7%), and 88.3% (85.9%, 90.5%) for the low, medium, and high impact scenarios, respectively. The farm‐level mortality losses from an ED were up to 40.3% of the total farm inventory and can be used for insurance premium rate development. Disease spread modeling provides a systematic way to organize the current knowledge on the ED perils and, ultimately, use this information to help develop actuarially sound agricultural insurance policies and premiums. However, the estimates obtained will include a large amount of uncertainty driven by the stochastic nature of disease outbreaks, by the uncertainty in the frequency of future ED occurrences, and by the often sparse data available from past outbreaks.