• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.47 no.6
• /
• pp.335-353
• /
• 2022

There are two aspects of digital trade: the digitalisation of goods/services being traded and the digitalisation of the transactional act. Digital data (i.e. machine-readable industrial data and transactional data) is the major driving force for both aspects of digital trade. Digital data is a non-rivalrous input, whether for production or marketing activities, and is thus able to be used by many firms or government agencies without limiting the use of others. Digital platforms provide online infrastructure for the interactions between groups, for instance, consumers and producers. The externality effect refers to the situation in which prosperity in one group on a given platform will improve the returns of other groups on the same platform. In the era of the data-driven economy, strategic trade policy can involve data-related policies. The major objective of these policies is to improve the competitiveness of domestic firms. For instance, firms may be subsidised if they use cloud services provided by specific platforms. This strand of strategic trade policies might be useful for increasing the competitiveness of small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) via the digitalisation of production/marketing processes. Alternatively, strategic trade policy may also exploit the externality effect via platform economy-related policies. Further, some countries may form data coalitions to facilitate cross-border data flow. This paper uses cases in Asian countries to illustrate which role these strategic trade policies can play in the digital economy.

• Journal of Korea Trade
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.53-67
• /
• 2020

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to study strategic trade policies under international process research and development (R&D) competition with or without market leaders for free trade and a subsidy regime and compare the effects of R&D subsidies and export subsidies on the equilibrium levels of firm profit and social welfare. Design/methodology - For the analysis, we use previous work by Haaland and Kind (2008) and construct a differentiated goods duopoly model, wherein two firms compete via quantity in a third-country market for free trade and the subsidy regime. We consider simultaneous-move quantity competition when the two firms choose their quantities simultaneously and sequential-move quantity competition when they choose their quantities sequentially. The results are compared to those of Balboa, Daughety and Reinganum (2004), who studied export subsidies. Findings - The following are the findings. First, the results of firm preference orderings regarding firm position from Dowrick (1986) and Balboa, Daughety and Reinganum (2004) may not hold in our model when the firms' strategies are strategic substitutes under free trade. Second, the preference rankings under Cournot competition for free trade and a subsidy regime are the same as those in the strategic trade policy of export subsidy. Third, except for the cases of too close substitutes and complements, the results of firm and government preferences regarding firm position are different from those of Balboa, Daughety and Reinganum (2004) in that Stackelberg leadership in a subsidy regime is advantageous when the goods are substitutes but is disadvantageous when the goods are complements. Moreover, the equilibrium level of firm profit is the highest in the Cournot-Nash play when the goods are substitutes in a subsidy regime. Fourth, except for the cases of too close substitutes and complements, the results of firms' and their respective governments' trade regime preferences are similar to those of Balboa, Daughety and Reinganum (2004) in that a Stackelberg leader firm and government prefer free trade if the goods are substitutes and prefer a subsidy regime if the goods are complements. Furthermore, a Stackelberg follower firm and government strongly prefer a subsidy regime to free trade. Originality/value - By analyzing the effects of R&D subsidies and export subsidies in international markets, we can find similarities and differences between them in international markets.

• International Commerce and Information Review
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.89-114
• /
• 2008

It is said that global business education in Korea must be a kind of good investment on the future of Korea, because Korea's degree of dependence upon global trade is very high. But, despite great significance of trade in economic aspect, education system on global business in Korea still remains in old paradigm focused mainly on trade in goods. The purpose of this paper is to analyse key environment of trade in Korea relating to global business education system, and to suggest some trade-friendly measures to improve the global economic environment being worse. Methodology used in this study depends on descriptive analysis by literature study. As all the paradigm of global business has shifted from 20C's trade environment to that of 21C's and still more borderless trend has progressed, it is high time Korea to design the new education system of global business to conform with the trade mode of Korea, and to execute the mode of strategic trade which is new conception of trade strategy derived from Web 2.0 trend. Major findings of this study can be summarized as follows : It is suggested that Korea should convert basic composition of trade strategy to strategic trade irrespective of company size, nationality, public or private sector, etc., and launch new instructional model considering the trade 2.0 concepts. Also, Korea's trade policies which have been based on 'trade in goods' should be changed to the frame of strategic trade so that can include various trade process such as trade in services, trade in technology, cultural contents, global investment(TRIMs), TRIPS, etc.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
• /
• v.54
• /
• pp.285-307
• /
• 2012

This study analyses the transformation of Asian steel trade and the change of corporate strategy. The purpose of this paper is to examine the circumstances of Asian steel industrial policies, and considering the feature of each nation's steel industrial policies, and the effect of the corporate strategy. In China, mighty steel productive capacity had already formed under original planned economy and industrial policy. In 2003, crude steel production have exceeded 220 million ton in China and that is 23.2% of the steel production share in the world. On the other hand, not only the amount but also the quality becomes an important point in the steel industry in the future. I consider, on researching Asian steel industry, it is important to build up partnership in Korea and Japan for achieve strategic alliance in the steel industry policies and understanding the change of corporate strategy.

• The Journal of Economics, Marketing and Management
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.73-81
• /
• 2024

Purpose: South Korea is a close ally of the US and an important partner of China. Caught between the two most powerful countries, South Korea's strategic directions are critical. This article emphasizes that the deeper core of the US-China trade war is to improve the business environment to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to boost the economy, rather than engaging in the trade war. Research design, data, and methodology: Considering the complexity of this issue, this article applies a systematic analytical tool, the ABCD (Agility, Benchmarking, Convergence, and Dedication) model, to provide strategic guidance for inducing investments into South Korea in the context of the ongoing US-China trade war. Results: Specifically, South Korea needs to provide a more attractive business environment along the four points: expedite commercial activities through deregulation (Agility); adopt global standards of the flexible labor markets and technological developments (Benchmarking); integrate various industries and connect them to global value chains (Convergence); and create more economy-friendly policies rather than politics-oriented ones such as protectionism (Dedication). Conclusion: This study stands out not just by utilizing the ABCD model but, also by providing more systematic analysis and practical implications, particularly within the context of the escalating US-China competition. Unlike many existing studies that analyze the broader impacts of this geopolitical rivalry, this research delves into specific strategic guidelines for South Korea to attract FDI. The findings also provide implications for multinational corporations (MNCs) in choosing the locations for their overseas operations, particularly in South Korea.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.49-59
• /
• 2016

The study attempts to investigate the causes of Sino-U.S. trade friction in recent years and provides countermeasures accordingly. The import and export volume of two countries, the product structure of China's export, the 337th Act lawsuits related to China, the industries involved in trade friction, and the G-L Index of Sino-U.S. Products are analyzed in detail. The causes of Sino-US trade frictions are discussed from the aspect of mercantilism and trade protectionism, interest groups and governments' trade policies, Chinese product structure, intellectual property protection in China, and performance of Chinese enterprises in litigation. Based on these, countermeasures are put forward. China needs to implement industrial upgrading, increasing the added value of products, and improving intellectual property protection. A trade friction warning system also needs to be constructed. The Chinese government needs to carry out strategic dialogue and international negotiation.

• International Commerce and Information Review
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.349-371
• /
• 2008

Export controls on strategic items has been an international standard of trade. We should understand the global trend of this and perform clean policies in the international community. This article examines the Improvement of Competitiveness and International Export Control System of Strategic Items for focusing to Internal Compliance Program(ICP). Therefore, this study would like to suggest for build to ICP. Each member of company have to convert their perception for controling strategic items. Also, they have to build controling system in ERP system and extend Incentive for CPs. the support to the trustworthy controling system. Korea is actively trying to control strategic items export for world peace and national security. So the related enterprise needs to manage voluntary export system.

• International Commerce and Information Review
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.3-33
• /
• 2010

Paperless trade is a new trade paradigm that has innovated on traditional trade procedures, which relied on manual work in the past, and applied an IT-based e-document standard. To realize paperless trade in Korea, a lot of efforts have been made. Korea has overcome many difficulties, a lack of awareness, trials and errors, etc. at the initial introduction stage and strived to establish a stable infrastructure through the government's policy support and active cooperation with the trade business communities and related organizations. Now, Korea became a well-known leader in IT industry, especially in the paperless trade infrastructure and strategic policies. The one-stop trading system named 'uTradeHub' is operated by a paperless trade service provider, Korea Trade Network(KTNET). uTradeHub includes trade finance and settlement, customs clearance and export and import logistics, improving trading procedures and reducing related expenses. Private-Public joint efforts from Korean government and private sectors which have respectively fulfilled their role and function with market-oriented practical policies and strategies has lead Korea a world leading country in paperless trade. Moreover, Korea expended its efforts to the global areas. Korea has started to activate multi-national paperless trade alliances such as PAA(Pan-Asia e-Commerce Alliance), ASEAL(Asia Europe Alliance for Paperless Trading) as well as established the bilateral cooperative networks with China and Taiwan. The one-stop trading system, uTradeHub should keep close cooperations between nations since trade itself is implemented in a cross-border ways. In the near future, it is expected uTradeHub can achieve best results in the simplification of procedures and cost savings when an international linkage is completely established with international cooperations.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.59-86
• /
• 2011

This paper examines a country's strategic optimal tariff policy against a foreign firm with market power. That is, the purpose of the paper is, under asymmetric information, to reexamine the problem of optimal tariff policy against a foreign monopolist from another country's welfare standpoint. This is to extend the analysis of Brander and Spencer(1984) which is both analytic and elaborate. The incentive compatible tariff schedule is derived, and then policy implications are investigated. The main result is that, under incomplete information, the optimal tariff is elevated above its full-information counterpart in order to capture foreign rents. Moreover, it suggests that trade policies motivated by rent extraction are unlikely to be robust to the introduction of incomplete information. This research complements an existing literature on the strategic trade policy in terms of asymmetric information.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.191-204
• /
• 2023

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between R&D tax support policy and firm innovation activity using data on firms engaged in 12 national strategic technology sectors. Design/methodology/approach - This study collected survey data from 664 companies engaged in national strategic technologies. The data were then analysed using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) analysis. Findings - First, corporate R&D tax support had a statistically significant positive (+) relationship with firm innovation performance. Second, there was a statistically significant positive (+) relationship with incremental innovation, but there was no statistical significance with radical innovation. Third, there was a statistically significant positive (+) relationship with the firm's first innovation, but there was no statistical significance with the world's first innovation. Fourth, there was a statistically significant positive (+) relationship with the number of R&D projects of a firm. Finally, there was a statistically significant positive (+) relationship with a firm's open innovation. Research implications or Originality - First, in terms of policy effectiveness, the government needs to consider promoting R&D tax support policies in areas where R&D competition is fierce. For private companies engaged in the 12 national strategic technology fields, the R&D tax support policy is working in the direction of promoting corporate innovation activities, and this positive policy effect is likely to be effective in areas where R&D competition is fierce. Second, if the government wants to improve the quality of corporate innovation activities through R&D tax support policies, it needs to provide incentives higher than the current level.