Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Hans Jarle Kind Author-Name-First: Hans Jarle Author-Name-Last: Kind Author-Email: hans.kind@nhh.no Author-Workplace-Name: Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration) Bergen, Norway Author-Name: Guttorm Schjelderup Author-Name-First: Guttorm Author-Name-Last: Schjelderup Author-Email: guttorm.schjelderup@nhh.no Author-Workplace-Name: Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration) Bergen, Norway Author-Name: Frank Staehler Author-Name-First: Frank Author-Name-Last: Staehler Author-Email: fstaehler@business.otago.ac.nz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Title: Newspapers and Advertising: The Effects of Ad-Valorem Taxation under Duopoly Abstract: Newspapers are two-sided platforms that sell their product both to readers and advertisers. Media firms in general, and newspapers in particular, are considered important providers of information, culture and language in most countries. Newspapers are therefore given preferential tax treatment. We show that lower ad valorem taxes lead newspapers to become more differentiated. Thereby the competitive pressure falls, possibly resulting in higher newspaper prices and reduced quality investments. Length: 20 pages Creation-Date: 2006-12 Revision-Date: 2006-12 File-URL: http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/research/discussionpapers/DP_0609.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2006 Number: 0609 Classification-JEL: D4; D43; H21; H22; L13 Keywords: Two-sided markets, ad-valorem taxes Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:0609 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Ngo Van Long Author-Name-First: Ngo Author-Name-Last: Van Long Author-Email: ngo.long@mcgill.ca Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, McGill University, Montreal Author-Name: Frank Staehler Author-Name-First: Frank Author-Name-Last: Staehler Author-Email: fstaehler@business.otago.ac.nz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Title: Trade Policy and Public Ownership Abstract: This paper discusses the influence of public ownership on trade policy instruments. We demonstrate three important invariance results. First, the degree of public ownership affects neither the level of socially optimal activities nor welfare if the government chooses optimal trade policy instruments. Second, in the case of rivalry between domestic export firms, the optimal export tax is independent of the degree of public ownership. Third, in the case of rivalry in the home market, the optimal import tariff is independent of the degree of public ownership. In this case, the optimal production subsidy decreases with public ownership if the optimal tariff is positive. For the case of Cournot rivalry in a third market, the optimal export subsidy is an increasing function of the public ownership share, while in the case of Bertrand rivalry with differentiated products, the optimal export tax is an increasing function of that parameter. Length: 35 pages Creation-Date: 2006-12 Revision-Date: 2006-12 File-URL: http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/research/discussionpapers/DP_0608.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2006 Number: 0608 Classification-JEL: F12, F13 Keywords: Public ownership, trade policy Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:0608 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Arlene Garces-Ozanne Author-Name-First: Arlene Author-Name-Last: Garces-Ozanne Author-Email: arlene.ozanne@otago.ac.nz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Title: A bounds test approach to the study of level relationships in a panel of high-performing Asian economies (hpaes) Abstract: This study analyses long-run level relationships between total factor productivity (TFP) and a set of variables (the degree of openness of an economy, the different roles of government, and human capital) that are hypothesised as the major factors that drive TFP in the High-Performing Asian Economies (HPAEs). We apply Pesaran, Shin and SmithÕs (2001) bounds test approach to the analysis of level relationships between TFP and its hypothesised determinants using panel data for five HPAEs (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand) and find evidence of a long-run relationship between TFP and our hypothesised determinants, irrespective of whether the regressors are I(0) or I(1). Length: 27 pages Creation-Date: 2006-11 Revision-Date: 2006-11 File-URL: http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/research/discussionpapers/DP_0607.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2006 Number: 0607 Classification-JEL: O40, O50 Keywords: total factor productivity, panel data analysis, high-performing Asian economies Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:0607 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Niven Winchester Author-Name-First: Niven Author-Name-Last: Winchester Author-Email: niven.winchester@otago.ac.nz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Title: Trade and Rising Wage Inequality: What can we learn from a Decade of Computable General Equilibrium Analysis? Abstract: This paper surveys computable general equilibrium (CGE) contributions to trade-wage debate. We conclude that this literature provides an avalanche of support for the view that trade has had only a minor influence on wage inequality through Heckscher-Ohlin channels. Moreover, some studies show that trade may be associated with declining wage inequality and/or reveal that North-North trade is responsible for a greater proportion of the increase in Northern wage inequality than North-South trade. The impact of trade-induced technical change, however, has received little attention in the CGE literature. Length: 30 pages Creation-Date: 2006-10 Revision-Date: 2006-10 File-URL: http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/research/discussionpapers/DP_0606.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2006 Number: 0606 Classification-JEL: C68, F16 Keywords: computable general equilibrium modeling, trade and wages Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:0606 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Niven Winchester Author-Name-First: Niven Author-Name-Last: Winchester Author-Email: niven.winchester@otago.ac.nz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Title: Searching for the Smoking Gun: Did Trade Hurt Unskilled Workers? Abstract: We contribute to the trade-wage literature by conducting the first economy-wide analysis of the association between trade and wages in New Zealand. We find that increased imports since 1980 caused only a marginal increase in New Zealand wage inequality and, overall, increased trade (imports and exports) reduced wage inequality in this nation. As New Zealand imports of unskilled labour-intensive products relative to GDP are larger than those for other developed nations, we interpret these results as convincing evidence that trade is not responsible for rising wage inequality in developed nations. Length: 31 pages Creation-Date: 2006-09 Revision-Date: 2006-09 File-URL: http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/research/discussionpapers/DP_0605.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2006 Number: 0605 Classification-JEL: F16, J24 Keywords: trade and wages; skill classification Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:0605 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Richardson Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Richardson Author-Email: martin.richardson@anu.edu.au Author-Workplace-Name: Research School of Economics, Australian National University Author-Name: Niven Winchester Author-Name-First: Niven Author-Name-Last: Winchester Author-Email: niven.winchester@otago.ac.nz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Title: More (or Less) on Necessarily Welfare-Enhancing Free Trade Areas Abstract: This note considers the extension of the Kemp-Wan theorem on necessarily welfare-improving customs unions to free trade areas. It suggests that the value of this extension is undermined by its very rationale - the greater popularity of free trade areas over customs unions for 'political' reasons. Length: 26 pages Creation-Date: 2006-07 Revision-Date: 2006-07 File-URL: http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/research/discussionpapers/DP_0603.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2006 Number: 0603 Classification-JEL: F13, F15 Keywords: Kemp-Wan, customs unions, free trade area Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:0603 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: David Fielding Author-Name-First: David Author-Name-Last: Fielding Author-Email: david.fielding@otago.ac.nz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Author-Name: Madeline Penny Author-Name-First: Madeline Author-Name-Last: Penny Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Otago Title: What Causes Changes in Opinion about the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process? Abstract: In this paper we present a statistical analysis of the factors that drive monthly variations in the aggregate level of support among Israeli Jews for the Oslo Peace Process. Attitudes depend on both the state of the Israeli economy and the intensity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the onset of the Intifada. Moreover, different dimensions of the conflict have very different effects on Jewish public opinion. In particular, there is substantial heterogeneity in the response of attitudes to conflict events on either side of the Green Line. Length: 29 pages Creation-Date: 2006-03 Revision-Date: 2006-03 File-URL: http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/research/discussionpapers/DP_0601.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2006 Number: 0601 Keywords: Israel, Palestine, Intifada, Peace Process Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:0601