Globalization

Our society has developed a literature on inframarginal analysis of globalisation, which is regarded by referees as an "emerging and rapidly growing literature."

Inframarginal analysis is total cost-benefit analysis of networking decisions and network pattern in addition to marginal analysis of resource allocation for a given network pattern of trade connections. This new analytical approach significantly enhances explaining power of economics and is particularly relevant to new economy which is characterised by globalisation and networking decisions.

We believe the new analytical approach to inframarginal analysis is original, novel, and realistic, so that many interesting policy issues and business problems could be addressed convincingly in this literature. The following examples illustrate application of inframarginal analysis to policy issues and business problems associated with the WTO and globalization.

  • Globalization and policy implications: In a model of endogenous network pattern of trade, we have shown that as transportation efficiency is improved, individuals are more willing to conduct transactions in the core area of the economy in order to utilize transaction efficiency advantage which generated by concentrating many transactions in the core area. Hence, the difference in land price between the core and periphery increases. Free migration between the core and periphery will equalize per capita real income between the core and periphery despite an increase in difference of per capita commercialised income. As the degree of market integration increases due to free trade, the absence of free migration between the USA and Europe may increase difference in per capita real income between the core (the USA) and new periphery (Europe), as transaction efficiency advantage at the core increases relatively to the periphery. This creates rent that the core can exploit at the cost of the periphery if free migration is not allowed. Hence, this implies the efficient balance between benefit of border control (which allows an institutional experiment within a country to be isolated from institutional experiments in other countries) and cost of tight border control shifts. Anti globalisation campaign may be a response to the tension between old balance of the trade-off institutionalized by the old system and new situation. New game rules for the new balance of free trade and free migration may be needed to achieve a really fair and efficient world order.
  • Free trade area, preferential trade area, and dual structure in the transitional period of globalization: in a transitional stage from autarky to a great degree of globalisation, a dual structure between the core and periphery might emerge. In this structure, most gains from trade go to the developed country in the absence of tariff. The less developed country has an incentive to alter distribution of gains from trade through protection tariff. As transportation efficiency is improved, more countries are involved in trade and each country is more deeply involved in trade. All countries will have incentives to participate in tariff negotiation, which leads to multilateral free trade.
  • Globalization and aggregate risk: we have developed several models with endogenous transaction risk and endogenous network size of trade connections. We predict an increase in aggregate risk of coordination failure of a larger network size of trade connections generated by globalization. As transaction risk for each trade connection is reduced by new communication technology and new transportation vehicles, positive network effects of division of labour on aggregate productivity are more likely to outweigh increasing aggregate risk. As a result, aggregate productivity, network size of trade connections, and aggregate risk of coordination failure of the network increase side by side. Our models also predict an increase in income share of transaction cost and communication cost as a result of a decrease in transaction and communication cost of each trade connection.

Download this whole article.

Articles:

  1. Globalization and Economic Analysis --- On Prof. James Buchanan's Visit to Monash University.
  2. Wen Li Cheng, Jeffrey Sachs & Xiaokai Yang, A General Equilibrium Re-appraisal of the Stolper-Samuelson Theorem. (trade Theory, general equilibrium HO model, Stolper-Samuelson theorem)
  3. Xiaokai Yang, China's Entry to the WTO. (Globalization Issue)
  4. Jeffrey Sachs & Xiaokai Yang, Market Led Industrialization and Globalization. (Globalization Issue)
  5. Wenli Cheng, Jeffrey Sachs & Xiaokai Yang, An Inframarginal Analysis of the Ricardian Model. (Trade Theory)
  6. Jeffrey Sachs, Xiaokai Yang & Dingsheng Zhang, Pattern of Trade and Economic Development in the Model of Monopolistic Competition. (Income distribution, division of labor, dual structure, economic development, trade pattern, monopolistic competition, economies of scale, inframarginal analysis)
  7. Xiaokai Yang & Dingsheng Zhang, Economic Development, International Trade, and Income Distribution. (Income distribution, division of labor, dual structure, economic development)
  8. Wenli Cheng, Jeffrey Sachs & Xiaokai Yang, An Inframarginal Analysis of the Heckscher-Ohlin Model with Transaction Costs and Technological Comparative Advantage. (H-O theorem, factor equalization theorem, Stolper-Samuelson theorem, Rybczynski theorem)
  9. Xiaokai Yang, Incomplete Contingent Labor Contract, Asymmetric Residual Rights and Authority, and the Theory of the Firm. (Application Thoery)
  10. Jeffrey Sachs, Xiaokai Yang, Dingsheng Zhang, Globalization, Dual Economy, and Economic Development.
  11. Xiaokai Yang, The Crisis of Success and Feedback Quality in Managing Economic Crisis (Application Theory)
  12. Monchi Lio, Effects of Insurance and Moral Hazard on the Division of Labor and Productivity. (the division of labor, insurance, moral hazard, endogenous transaction costs)
  13. Wenli Cheng, Meng-chun Liu & Xiaokai Yang, "A Ricardian Model with Endogenous Comparative Advantage and Endogenous Trade Policy Regimes".

 

Inframarginal Economics Society www.inframarginal.com

 

© INFRAMARGINAL ECONOMICS --- ALL RIGHT RESERVED