Thursday, 25 April 2019

UGC Commerce : International Business


UGC NET-JRF COMMERCE
INTERNATIONAL  BUSINESS
International Business- An Overview
·         Include any type of activity that crosses national borders
·         Organisations that buys or sells goods and services across two or more countries, even if management is located in a country
·         Include all commercial transactions, private or governmental between two or more countries
Importance of  International Business
International business
·         causes the flow of ideas, services, and capital across the world
·         offers consumers new choices
·         permits the acquisition of a wider    variety of products
·         facilitates the mobility of labor,        capital, and technology
·         provides challenging employment opportunities
·         reallocates resources, makes preferential choices, and shifts activities to a global level
Modes of entry into International Business: Export and Import, International investment
Merchandise Export and Import: International trade of all tangible products send-out  or brought-in, Visible export and import
Service export and import: Trade of services like tourism, banking, transportation, health, insurance and so on, Invisible items
Theories of International Trade
(1)   Mercantilist Views on Trade
(2)   Absolute Advantage Theory
(3)   Comparative advantage Theory
(4)   Modern Theory of International Trade
(5)   Trade based on Technological Differences
Mercantilist Views on Trade
§  Collection of economic thought in Europe during 1500 to 1750
§  Merchants, bankers, philosophers
§  National wealth is reflected in holdings of precious metals
§  More gold, more powerful the country
§  Export more as it leads to inflow of gold
§  Restrict import as it leads to outflow of gold
§  Trade is a “Zero- Sum Game”
§  Mutually beneficial trade is impossible
§  Calls for ‘economic nationalism’
Absolute Advantage Theory-Adam Smith
o   Refuted mercantilist views on trade
o   Mutually beneficial trade is possible  based on ‘absolute advantage’
o   Each country should specialise on the basis of absolute advantage and exchange for other commodities
o   Specialisation leads to increased world production
o   Benefits of increased world production reaches all countries
o   Trade is a “positive-sum game”
o   All participating countries gain from trade
o   Advocated ‘laissez-faire’
Comparative Advantage Theory-David Ricardo
·         Still unchallenged law in Economics
·         Tried to explore unanswered question in Smithian Absolute Advantage
·         Why would trade occur if one country is more productive than other country in all lines of production ?
·         Mutually beneficial trade is still possible if less efficient country is not equally less productive in all lines of production
·         Should specialise where its disadvantage is smaller, that is, on the basis of comparative advantage
Modern Theory of International Trade: Heckscher Ohlin Model
§  Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin
§  Analysed reasons for comparative advantage
§  Reasons for comparative cost difference is due to :-
1.      Countries differ in their factor endowments
2.      Commodities differ in their factor intensities
Fundamental Theorem:       “each country should specialise in the production and export of those goods whose production requires a relatively large amount of the factor with which the country is relatively well endowed”
§  Capital abundant country will tend to specialise in capital intensive goods
§  Labour abundant country will tend to specialise in labour intensive goods
§  Abundance of factor makes it cheap (less expensive)
§  Producers prefers less expensive factor
§  Capital rich country tend to specialise in capital intensive goods
§  Labour rich country tend to specialise in labour intensive goods
Empirical Tests or Exceptions of Heckscher Ohlin Model   1.Leontief Paradox and 2.Factor Intensity Reversal
Leontief Paradox
o   First comprehensive empirical test of H O
o   Used US trade data of 1947
o   US was believed to be a K rich L scarce country
o   If H O is true , then US should export K intensive good and import L intensive goods
o   Empirical Tests or Exceptions of Heckscher Ohlin Model – Leontief Paradox
o   Leontief used Input-output technology
o   Startling result !
o   US exporting labour intensive products and importing capital intensive products
o   Opposite of Heckscher Ohlin prediction
o   Paradoxical result termed as ‘Leontief paradox’
Factor Intensity Reversal
§  In H O model pattern of trade is determined by factor intensity and factor endowments
§  Changes in these two is possible overtime
§  Such changes could reverse the pattern of trade
§  Factor intensity reversal is when one commodity is capital intensive in capital abundant country and labour intensive in labour abundant country
§  Each country will specialise in the same product
§  H O theorem becomes invalid
Trade Based on Technological Differences:  1.Technological Gap Model and 2. Product Cycle Theory
Technological Gap Model
o   Michael V Posner 1961
o   also called “imitation lag hypothesis”
o   relaxes the assumption in the H-O analysis that the same technology is available everywhere
o   It assumes that the same technology is not always available in all countries
o   There is a ‘delay in the transmission of technology’ from one country to another
o   A great deal of trade among industrialized countries is based on introduction of new products and new production process which give innovating firm and country a temporary monopoly in the world market
o   “imitation lag” is defined as the length of time that takes between product’s introduction in country I and the appearance of the version produced by firms in country II
o   Central point of importance is that trade focuses on new products
o   A country can become a continually successful exporter by focusing on continuous innovation
Product Cycle Theory
§  Reymond Vernon 1966
§  Generalization and extension of the Technological Gap Model
§  Builds on its treatment of delay in the diffusion of technology
§  When a new product is introduced, it requires highly skilled labour
§  As the product matures and acquires mass acceptance, it becomes standardized and familiar so that it can be produced with less skilled labour
§  Comparative advantage in the product shift from the advanced nation that originally introduced it to LDCs, where labour is relatively cheaper
§  Stresses the standardization process
§  Most highly indutrialised economies are expected to export the non-standardised products embodying new and more advanced technology and import products embodying less advanced technology
§  Through imitation and product standardization, LDCs earn a comparative advantage based on their relatively cheap labour
Foreign Investment: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
One that gives the investor a control over investment
Control need not be 100%
Business investments
Faces market risk
‘Real’ investment
Examples: purchase of a company abroad, starting a subsidiary or taking over the control of existing firm on other country
Types of FDI: 1. Vertical 2. Horizontal and 3. Conglomerate
Benefit of FDI
Ø  Helps to fill the resource gap of developing countries
Ø  Transfer of technology
Ø  Provides growth stimulants
Ø  Improves balance of payments
Ø  Product specialisation
Ø  Anti monopoly weapon
Cost of FDI
o   Basic Motive of FDI is commercial profitability
o   Technology may  not be suitable to the host country
o   Adversely affect small scale sectors
o   Leads to monopoly/oligopoly
o   Demonstration effect
o   Political influence
 Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)
§  No control over investment
§  Lending of capital to get return but no control over the use of capital (rentier investment)
§  Financial investment
§  Indirect investment
§  Examples: investment in securities, deposits in commercial banks, purchase of equities, bonds, securities and so on
Foreign investment decision
First choice :- whether to exploit the existing competitive advantage in abroad or concentrate on development of new competitive advantage in domestic market
Second choice:- production at home and export or Production abroad
Third choice:- choosing to produce abroad, must decide how
1.      Firms as seekers
2.      Firms as exploiters of imperfections
3.      Firms as internalisers
Firms as Seekers
·         Seeking resources
·         Seeking factor advantage
·         Seeking knowledge
·         Seeking security
·         Seeking market
Firms as exploiters of imperfections
§  Imperfections in Access
§  Imperfections in factor mobility
§  Imperfections in management
Firm as internalisers
Ø  By establishing their own via FDI
Ø  Internalise production
Ø  Keeping information confidential
Ø  No effective transmission of knowledge
Balance of Payment
§  “Statistical record of all international economic transactions of residents of country with residents of rest of the world during a year”
§  Economic transaction:- exchange of good, service or asset for which payment is required
§  Unilateral transfers (for which no payment is made) are also included in BoP
§  Most important statistical record of a country !
§  Reveals export and import of goods and services
§  Reveals borrowing and lending of the country
§  Reveals foreign exchange position of the country
§  BoP are always in balance
§  Double entry book keeping system
§  Each transaction has a credit and equal debit side
Balance of Payment Accounts : Current Account, Capital Account and  Other Remaining Items
Current Account
·         Export and import of goods and services and unilateral transfers
·         Sum of visible trade and ‘invisible balance’
·         Invisible balance :-export and import of services, receipts of interest, dividends, profits and unilateral transfers
Capital Account
§  Movement of financial capital in and out of the country
§  Capital inflows: credit item; through borrowing, sales of overseas assets, investment by foreigners
§  Capital outflows: debit item; through lending, buying of overseas asset, purchase of domestic asset owned by foreigners
Other Remaining Items of BoP
Ø  Errors and Omissions: reflects difficulties of accurate information
Ø  Official Reserves and Liabilities : as balancing items; changes in Gold, SDRs and foreign currencies
Autonomous Items:  All the transactions in the current and capital account, Purely done for profit or business motive, Items above the line
Accommodating Items: To finance any deficit or surplus in the autonomous receipt and payment
Determined by the net consequences of autonomous items, Balancing item, Items below the line
Disequilibrium in International Transactions
1.      Deficit or Surplus in Current Account
2.      Basic Balance : sum of current account balance and net balance on long-term capital
3.      Official Settlement Balance: operations of monetary authorities undertakes to finance any deficit in current account and/or capital account
International Monetary System
Ø  Refers to rules custom, instruments, facilities and Organisations for affecting international payments
 Gold Standard(1880-1914)
§  First and oldest system
§  Fixed exchange rates
§  Each country defines gold content of its currency and ready to buy any amount of gold at that price
§  Mint Parity
§  Willingness to back currencies with gold
§  Currencies are freely convertible in to gold
§  Gold can be bought and sold at will
§  No restriction on the shipment of gold
§  Collapsed with the outbreak of First World War (1914-18)
§  Tried again after the war but failed with Great Depression (1929-33)
Brettonwoods Conference (1944)
·         44 countries of United Nations met at Brettonwood, New Hampshire US
·         Aim was to create a new international monetary system
·         To avoid instability and protective policies of Great Depression
·         Called for the establishment of TWO Organisations
1. IMF, to achieve exchange rate stability and help countries to finance BoP deficits
2. IBRD, to assist post-war reconstruction and development of member countries and to provide long-term development assistance
3. ITO, to eliminate trade barriers (NEVER MATERIALISED)
·         Gold exchange standard
·         US to maintain the price of gold at $35 per ounce and ready to exchange $ for gold without restriction
·         Other countries to fix exchange rate with $
·         Pegged exchange rate system (+ 1%)
Reasons for the collapse
1945-49 : Huge BoP surplus for US (Marshall Plan)
1950s : period of US BoP deficits
$ shortage to $ glut
Gold depletion of US
Inability to devalue $ as intervention currency
Nixon Shock : Richard Nixon (August 15, 1971) withdraw commitment of gold convertibility of $
Post Brettonwoods Era
Smithsonian Agreement (1971)
§  After Nixon shock
§  Meeting of leading industrial countries at Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC
§  Established new set of par values called “central rates”
§  Countries agreed to permit + 2.25 either side of the central rates
§  Germen Mark and Japanese Yen was revalued by 13% and 17% respectively
§  Provided greater exchange rate flexibility than Brettonwoods system (+ 1%)
§  Created optimism for future
§  Failed due to continuous speculations of $ and steps taken by countries to float their currencies
Jamaica Accords (1976)
·         January 1976
·         IMF made series of changes that were incorporated into IMF’s Articles of Agreement
·         Changes:-
·         Each member country was free to adopt its own exchange rate arrangement
·         Role of gold to be downgraded and SDR to be enhanced
·         IMF to maintain surveillance of exchange rate behavior to avoid manipulation
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
§  Product of Brettonwood  conference
§  Began operations in Washington DC in March 1, 1947
§  Started with 30 members, now has 189 members
§  Website : www.imf.org
§  Head Quarters : Washington DC
§  Present Managing Director : Christina Lagarde
Objectives
1.      To promote international monetary cooperation
2.      To facilitate expansion and balanced growth of international trade
3.      To promote exchange stability and maintain orderly exchange agreements
4.      Provide borrowing facilities for countries in temporary BoP difficulties
Functions
a.       Surveillance
b.      Financial Assistance
c.       Technical Assistance
Borrowing from IMF
·         Each country assigned a quota
·         Quota is based on economic importance and volume of international trade
·         Size of quota determines voting power and ability to borrow
·         US assigned largest quota followed by Japan, Germany,  UK and France (India’s position = 11th )
·         Country pay 25% of quota in gold and 75% in own currency (Gold Tranche and Credit Tranche)
·         Paying  25% of quota in gold was discontinued in 1978 and replaced by SDR
·         Country can borrow 25% of its quota automatically- no restrictions
·         Further borrowing high rates of interest
·         Repayment in 3 to 5 years
·         Quota serves three purposes
1.      Constitutes resources to IMF
2.      Basis for determining how much a member country can borrow (SDRs)
3.      Determines voting power of member
Special Drawing Right (SDRs)
o   Created by IMF in 1969 and started with effect from  January1, 1970
o   To supplement international reserves of gold and foreign exchange
o   Accounting entries in books of IMF
o   Genuine international reserves
o   Also known as paper gold
o   Only to be used in dealings amoung central banks to settle BoP deficits or surpluses
o   Not in private commercial dealings
o   Not backed by gold
o   Created “out of thin air” !
o   From 1974, value of SDR tied with a basket of currencies
                                    Composition( 2015-20)
                                    41.73 % US $ 
                                    30.93% Euro
                                       10.92% Chinese Yuan
                                     8.33 % Japanese Yen
                                     8.09 % Pound Sterling
Other Credit Facilities
a)Buffer Stock Financing Facility (BSFF) :1969
For financing commodity buffer stock by member countries
Facility is equivalent to 30% of the borrowing members quota
b) Extended Fund Facility (EFF): 1974
Provides credit to meet BoP deficits for longer periods up to 10 years
In amounts larger than their quota
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
c) Structural Adjustment Facility (SAF): 1986
Concessional adjustment to poorer LDCs to solve BoP problems and carry out medium term macro economic and SAPs
ESAF in 1987
d)Compensatory and Contingency Financing Facility (CCFF): 1988
compensation for temporary shortfalls or excesses in cereal import costs
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
§  Product of Brettonwood  conference
§  Popularly called World Bank
§  Provides loans and developmental assistance to ‘creditworthy’ poor and middle income countries
§  Organizationally similar to IMF
§  Website :- www.worldbank.org
§  Head Quarters : Washington DC
§  President: Jim Yong Kim
Objectives
1.      Assist the reconstruction and development of territories of members by facilitating the investment of capital for productive purposes
2.      To promote private investment by means of guarantee or participation in loans
3.      To promote long range balance growth of international trade and maintenance of equilibrium in BOP
4.      To affect international investment and to assist a smooth transition from a wartime to peacetime economy
·         Owned by 189 members
·         Voting power proportional to subscription
·         Each country appoints a Governor and Alternative Governor, meet once in year
Financing Policy
Ø  Main task is promote growth of middle income and poor countries
Ø  Provides developmental assistance
Ø  Resources are raised form financial market by selling bonds and other assets
Ø  Lends indirectly by guaranteeing loans made by private investor
Ø  Lends only to govt or have the guarantee of the govt in whose territory the borrower is located
Special Action Programme (SAP): 1983
To assist member countries in adjusting to the current economic environment
Support structural adjustment, policy changes, production for exports, maintenance of economic infrastructure
Structural Adjustment Facility (SAF): 1985
To reduce BoP deficits of countries while maintaining or regaining the economic growth- Used to finance imports
ESAF in 1987
World Bank Group: Group of THREE institutions: IDA, IFC and MIGA
International Development Association (I D A)
·         Affiliate of World Bank
·         Established in 1960 to supplement IBRD
·         Make available loans to developing countries on softer terms and for longer periods
·         “Soft loan window”
·         173 member countries
Objectives
1.      To provide supplementary finance to LDCs on easy and flexible terms
2.      To promote economic development, increase productivity and thus raise std. of living in LDCs
3.      To supplement objectives of World Bank
Financing Policy
§  Grants loans to projects productive or unproductive
§  Interest-free loans
§  Loans for longer periods, that is 35 to 40 years
§  10 year grace period when no payment
§  Repayable in foreign exchange
§  Loans are known as credits which are made to governments only
§  Given to projects for which no assistance is provided by World Bank
§  Before approving IDA considers 3 criteria: poverty, performance and project criterion
§  Sanction credits for agriculture, education, health, nutrition, water supply, sewerage etc.
International Finance Cooperation (IFC)
Ø  Affiliate of World Bank
Ø  Private sector arm of IBRD
Ø  Established in July 20, 1956
Ø  184 member countries
Objective: Providing capital to private enterprises in LDCs without Govt guarantee
o   Considers only those enterprises which are predominantly industrial and contribute to the economic development of the country
o   Projects must be in private sector and productive in nature
o   Enterprises should be experienced and competent and loan should not be more than half of capital of the enterprise
o   Provides assistance to large, medium and small scale industries
o   Provides assistance in three ways
o   Direct investment both in the form of loans and equity participation
o   By securing foreign and local capital
o   By providing technical assistance
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
·         Established in 1988
·         International finance institution
·         181 member countries
·         Primary objective is to encourage the flow of FDI in to the developing countries
·         Offers political risk insurance and credit enhancement incentives
·         Protect foreign investments against political and non-commercial risks
·         Insures only new investments
·         Provides promotional and advisory services to the govts of LDCs to improve the investment climate
·         Tries to establish credibility among investors and improve their credit rating
International Liquidity
Defined as resources available to the monetary authorities of different countries for the settlement of international payments
Denotes all resources available to the monetary authorities of a country which may facilitate the meeting of its BoP difficulties
Functions
To facilitate settlement of international indebtedness and
To act as a means of stabilizing or controlling the external value of the domestic currency through intervention  in the normal functioning of the foreign exchange market
Components: Gold,  National currencies like Dollar, Pound, Euro and  SDRs of IMF
World Trading System:  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
§  Signed by 23 countries in 1947
§  Membership rose to 123 in 1993
Objectives
1.      To  promote international trade through tariff reduction
2.      To avoid discriminatory practices
3.      evolve rules to counter protectionism
Basic Principles
a)      Nondiscrimination
b)      Elimination of Non tariff barriers
c)      Consultation to solve trade disputes
Ø  Reduction of tariff and other trade restrictions were accomplished in phased manner
Ø  Through different Rounds of multilateral trade negotiations
Ø  Eight multilateral trade negotiations so far under auspices of GATT
Rounds of Multilateral Trade  Negotiations
        I.            Geneva (1947)
     II.            Annecy (1949)
   III.            Torquay(1950-51)
  IV.            Geneva (1954-62) (Dillon Round)
     V.            Geneva (1960-61)
  VI.            Geneva (1963-67) (Kennedy Round)
VII.            Tokyo (1973-79)
VIII.            Uruguay (1986-94)
Uruguay Round of Negotiations
o   Eighth Round
o   Punta Del Este
o   Took 8 years of complex negotiations
o   Considerable differences among members
o   Then director general of GATT Arthur  Dunkel came up with a package to solve – ‘Dunkel Draft’
o   Dunkel Draft was agreed and as a package
o   Signing up of Final act in April 1994, paved way of setting up of World Trade Organisation (WTO)
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
·         Came into force on January 1, 1995 as a successor of GATT
·         WTO has 164 members
·         International organisation and  a permanent body
·         WTO is an organisation while GATT is a treaty and legal arrangement
·         Head Quarters: Geneva
·         Director General: Roberto Azvedo
Functions
1.      Facilitate implementation, administration and operation of WTO agreements
2.      Provide forum for negotiations amoung members concerning their multilateral trade relations
3.      Administer rules and procedures governing settlement of disputes
4.      Administer trade policy review mechanism
5.      Cooperate with IMF and IBRD and the affiliated agencies to achieve greater coherence in global policy making
§  Highest decision-making body is the ministerial conference
§  It usually meet once in two years
§  Any matters under multilateral trade agreements can be discussed in ministerial conference
§  So far 11 ministerial conferences were held
WTO Ministerial Conferences
1.      Singapore  (1996)
2.      Geneva (1998)
3.      Seattle (1999)
4.      Doha (2001)
5.      Cancun (2003)
6.      Hongkong (2005)
7.      Geneva (2008)
8.      Geneva (2011)
9.      Bali (2013)
10.  Nairobi (2015)
11.  Buenos Aires (2017)
WTO Agreements
Agreement on Agriculture(AoA)
Ø  Framework for long term of agricultural trade
Ø  Relates to domestic subsidies, export subsidies, minimum market access commitment, domestic support, sanitary and phyto-sanitary and food aid operations
Ø  Seeks to open national market to international competition
Multi Fibre Arrangement (MFA): Agreement on textiles and clothing
Ø  Phasing out of import quotas
Ø  Integration of the textiles and clothing sector into the GATT 1994
Trade Related Investment Measures(TRIMs)
Ø  Introducing national treatment of foreign  investment
Ø  Removal of quantitative restrictions within the period of 5 years
Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs)
Ø  Covers 7 areas of intellectual property, namely 1. patents, 2.copy rights, 3.geographical indications, 4.industrial design, 5.integrated circuits (layouts), 6.trade marks, 7.trade secrets
Ø  Both process and product patent
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
Ø  Covers all internationally traded services
Ø  Foreign services and service suppliers would be treated on equal national footings with domestic suppliers
Ø  Transparency and progressive liberalisation of trade in services like banking, insurance, travel, transportation etc
Dispute Settlement Body (DSB)
Ø  For the settlement of disputes between members concerning their rights and obligations under the provisions of WTO agreements
Ø  To provide security and predictability to trading system
Ø  Findings are final and binding
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures(SCM)
Ø  Applies to non-agricultural products
Ø  Classifies subsidies in to red (prohibitive), green(non-actionable) and amber (actionable).
Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM)
Ø  To carryout reviews of the trade policies and practices
Ø  Each member has to report their trade policies and practices to the TPRB
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
o   Established in 1964
o   Headquarters : Geneva
o   Permanent intergovernmental body
o   Pert of UN’s secretariat dealing with trade, investment and development issues
o   Founded by UN General Assembly
o   Head : Mukhisa Kituyi
Functions
1.      To promote international trade between countries especially for accelerating economic development of LDCs
2.      To formulate principles and policies of international trade and related problems of economic development
3.      To make proposals for putting the said principles and policies into effect
4.      To review and facilitate the coordination of activities of other institutions within the UN systems in the field of international trade and related problems of economic development
5.      To be available as a centre for harmonious trade related development policies   of government and regional economic groupings
Achievements
a)      Trade in Primary Commodities
There has been continuous deterioration of terms of trade of developing countries
International commodity agreements (ICA) to stabilise the prices and markets of primary commodities
Introduced Integrated Programme for Commodities (IPC) and common fund for buffer stock financing
b)      Generalised System of Preferences
Urged developed countries to give tariff preferences on the manufactured goods exports of LDC
To increase export earnings of LDCs
To promote industrialisation and growth rates of LDCs
c)      Development Finance
Urged IMF to link SDR with development finance of LDCs
Measures to solve the debt problems of LDCs through debt rescheduling and conversion of loans into grants
Development aid for developing countries
d)      Technology Transfer
Introduced measures that would strengthen technological capability of LDCs
For the speedy and self reliant development of LDC
Reducing their external technological dependence
Laid down broad principles for transfer of publically funded technologies at the inter-governmental level
Globalisation
·         Expansion of economic activities across political boundaries of nation states
·         A process of economic integration
·         Increasing openness and growing economic interdependence between countries in the world economy
Drivers of Globalisation
a)      Trade in goods and services
b)      Movement of capital
c)      Flow of finance
Multinational Corporations
§  Also known as multinational enterprise, transnational corporations, global corporations, international corporations
§  Firms that own, control or mange production facilities in several countries
§  Operates in many countries at different levels of economic development
MNC’s: Features
o   Managerial headquarters in home country
o   Carryout operations in a number of other (host) countries
o   Predominantly large-sized and great degree of economic dominance
o   Oligopolistic in character
o   Modern technology, managerial skill, product differentiation and enormous advertising
Case for  MNC’s
ü  For increasing investment, income and employment
ü  Transfer of technology, finance and modern management
ü  Promote professionalization of management
ü  Promote exports of the host country
ü  Improves BoP of host countries
ü  Integrate national with international market
Case Against MNC’s
Ø  Technology is designed for profit maximisation, not to meet development needs of LDCs
Ø  Can undermine national economic autonomy
Ø  Can have unfavourable effect on BoP
Ø  May destroy competition and acquire monopoly power
Ø  Retard growth of employment opportunities in the country
Ø  Depletion of non-renewable natural resources of the host country
Economic Integration
·         A group of counties come together and agree to cooperate in international trade by various means
·         Countries place differential treatment to their trading partners
·         Countries join together to create a larger economic unit
·         Special relationship among members within the group
Levels of Economic Integration
        i.            Free Trade Area
      ii.            Customs Union
    iii.            Common Market
    iv.            Economic Union
(i) Free Trade Area
o   The most common integration scheme
o   No Internal Tariffs (all members remove tariff on each others product)
o   External Tariffs could be different
o   Retains independence of  establishing trade policies with non-members
o   Examples: U.S-Israel, European Free Trade Area  (EFTA)
(ii) Customs Union
o   Second level of economic integration
o   No Internal Tariffs
o   Common External Tariffs
o   Group adopts common external commercial policy towards nonmembers
o   Group acts as one body                          
o   Examples:  France-Monaco,  Italy-San Marino.
(iii) Common Market
o   Third level of economic integration
o   No Internal Tariffs.
o   Common External Tariffs and common external trade policy for nonmembers
o   Free movement of factors (labour and capital)
o   Example : Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) - Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Chile.
(iv) Economic Union
o   Most comprehensive of all  4 forms
o   All features of common market
o   No Internal Tariffs
o   Common External Tariffs.
o   Free flow of labor and capital.
o   Integration  and co-ordination of economic policies
o   Harmonization monetary policies, taxation, and government spending
o   When EU adopts Common currency it becomes monetary union
o   Example : European Union - Full monetary union (1999)
Regional Economic Integration
        I.            SAARC
     II.            ASEAN
   III.            EU
  IV.            NAFTA
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
·         Formed in December 1985
·         Brainchild of Zia ul Rahman (1979)
Objectives
·         Promotion of economic welfare
·         Improve quality of life in the region
·         Accelerate rate of economic growth
·         Promotion of collective self reliance
·         To strengthen active collaboration and cooperation 
Members
1.      Bangladesh
2.      Bhutan
3.      India
4.      Maldives
5.      Nepal
6.      Pakistan
7.      Sri Lanka
8.      Afghanistan
Eight members and 9 Observers
SAARC secretariat (headquarters): Kathmandu
Secretary General : Amjad B Hussian
Eighth SAARC summit (New Delhi 1995) endorsed SAPTA – (SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement)
SAPTA is for promotion of intra-regional trade and economic cooperation amoung SAARC nations through extension of tariff and other concessions
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
§  Regional inter-governmental organisation
§  Comprises 10 south east Asian countries
§  Primary Multinational group in Asia
§  Formed on August 1967
§  Headquarters :Jakarta
§  Secretary General: L Jock Hoi
1.      Indonesia              
2.      Malaysia
3.      The Philippines
4.      Singapore
5.      Thailand
6.      Laos
7.      Myanmar
8.      Brunei
9.      Cambodia
10.  Vietnam
o   Ten members and 2 Observers
o   Fastest growing economies in the region
o   Principal aim is to accelerate economic growth, social progress and socio cultural evolution among its members
o   The protection of regional stability and the provision of a mechanism to resolve differences
o   Reduced Tariff and non-tariff barriers, guaranteed member access to markets, and harmonized investment incentives.
European Community (EC) or European Union (EU)
·         European Community (EC) was founded under the  Treaty of Rome in 1957 with 6 countries
·         EC consist of three organisations based on separate treaties
1.      European Steel and Coal Community  (ESCC)
2.      European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom)
3.      European Economic Community (EEC)
Maastricht Treaty 1993 renamed the European Community (EC)  to European Union (EU)
Objectives
1.      Elimination of customs duties between members
2.      Establishment of common customs tariff and common external  commercial policy
3.      Abolition of  obstacles to freedom of movement of persons, services and capital between member countries
4.      Establishment of common policy with respect to agriculture and transport
·         Single European Act 1986 led to the formation of single internal market for EC
·         A true common market for goods, people and money by 1992
·         EURO, the official currency of EU used by 19 countries (European Monetary Union) from January 1, 1999
EC institutions - The European Commission, Council of Ministers, European Parliament, European Court of Justice
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Ø  Extension of US-Canada Agreement (CUSTA) of 1988
Ø  Later Mexico joined in 1991
Ø  NAFTA commenced from January 1994
Objectives
a)      Free trade area between members
b)      Fair competition and facilitation of cross border movement of goods and services
c)      Increase investment opportunities
d)      Protection of intellectual property rights
ü  Covers trade, financial services and dispute settlement
ü  Benefits similar to the E.U. in terms of one Large market
ü  Additionally Mexico is a different economy with different comparative advantages
ü  prevents firms from looking for cheap labor in outside markets
ü  Encourage foreign investment in this market
ü  Increase competitiveness in outside markets
ü  Labor and environmental issues
Effects of Economic Integration
Jacob Viner (1950)
        Static effects of integration
Trade Creation                           Trade Diversion
Effects of Economic Integration
Trade Creation
§  Economic integration leads to a shift in the product’s origin from a domestic producer whose cost are higher to a member producer whose resource cost is lower
§  Movement towards free trade allocation of resources
§  Beneficial and increases in welfare
Trade Diversion
§  Economic integration leads to a shift in the product’s origin from a non-member producer whose cost are lower to a member country producer whose resource cost are higher
§  Movement away from free trade allocation of resources
§  Could reduce welfare
Other effects
§  Many economic advantages
§  Reduced Import Prices, Increased competition and economies of scale, Higher factor Productivity
§  Political Factors and power in international markets
Foreign Exchange Market
·         Worldwide network of markets and institution that handle the exchange of foreign currencies
·         Buying and selling of foreign currencies or foreign exchange
·         Largest Market : London
·         Heavily Traded Currency : US Dollar
Participants: Commercial Banks., Business Corporations, Non Bank Financial Institutions and Central Bank
Functions
1.      Transfer of funds or purchasing power from currency to another or from one country to another
2.      Credit function
3.      Facilities for Hedging and Speculation
Foreign Exchange Risk
o   Arises out of the fluctuations in the value of assets, liabilities, income or expenditure when unanticipated changes in the exchange rates occur
o   When ever future payments must be made or received in foreign currency
o   Due to ever-changing spot exchange rate
Foreign Exchange Risk:- Avoidance->Hedging; Acceptance -> Speculation
Hedging
Ø  Avoidance of foreign exchange risk
Ø  Altering the composition of assets and liabilities so as to offset an existing or potential exposure of foreign exchange risk
Ø  Want to eliminate or reduce risk exposure
Ø  Usually takes place in the forward foreign exchange market
Speculation
Ø  Opposite of hedging
Ø  Accept or take risk in the hope of making profit
Ø  Uncertain gain from unanticipated changes in the exchange rate
Ø  Committing oneself to the uncertain future value
Ø  Takes place in the forward market
Ø  Stabilizing v/s destabilizing

Protection
v  Policy whereby  domestic industries are protected from foreign competition
Arguments for Protection
1.      Infant industry argument (Hamilton 1791)
2.      Terms of Trade argument
3.      Anti dumping argument
4.      Balance of trade argument
5.      National defense argument
6.      Key industries arguments
7.      Employment argument
Forms of Protection: Tariff and  Non Tariff Barriers
Forms of Protection- Tariff
       Most important form of protection
       Tax or levy or duty on traded commodity as it crosses national boundaries
       Price based measure (import tariff and export tariff)
Types
1.      Specific tariff
2.      Advelorem tariff
3.      Compound tariff
Effects of Tariff
1.      Price Effect
2.      Consumption Effect
3.      Production Effect
4.      Revenue Effect
5.      Balance of Trade Effect
6.      Welfare Effect
Optimum Tariff
       Rate that maximizes country’s welfare
       Starting from a free trade position increase in tariff leads to increase in welfare up to maximum (optimum tariff), then welfare decreases as tariff is again raised
Non Tariff Barriers to Trade
1.      Quotas
2.      Voluntary Export Restraints
3.      Technical, administrative & other regulations
4.      Export Subsidies
5.      Dumping
6.      International cartel
India’s Foreign Trade Policy (2015-2020)
Ø  Period covered from 1st April, 2015 to 31st March, 2020
Ø  Different schemes like Focus Product Scheme, Market Linked Focus Product Scheme, Focus Market Scheme, etc for rewarding merchandise exports merged into a single scheme, namely Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS)
Ø  Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS)  provides for rewards to all Service providers of notified services, who are providing services from India
Ø  Business leaders who have excelled in international trade and have successfully contributed to country’s foreign trade are proposed to be recognized as Status Holders and given special treatment and privileges to facilitate their trade transactions, in order to reduce their transaction costs and time
Ø  The nomenclature of Export House, Star Export House, Trading House, Star Trading House, Premier Trading House certificate has been changed to One (3 million $), Two (25 million $), Three (100 million $), Four(500 million $), Five Star Export House (2000 million $)
Ø   Manufacturers who are also Status Holders will be enabled to self-certify their manufactured goods as originating from India with a view to qualify for preferential treatment under different Preferential Trading Agreements [PTAs], Free Trade Agreements [FTAs] etc
Ø  Boost to “make in India”: Reduced Export Obligation (EO) for domestic procurement under EPCG scheme ( reduced to 75% from 90%)
Ø  Higher level of rewards under MEIS for export items with high domestic content and value addition
Ø  Trade facilitation & ease of doing business :-Online filing of documents/ applications and Paperless trade in 24x7 environment, Simplification of procedures/processes, digitisation and e-governance.
Ø  EOUs have been allowed facility to set up Warehouses near the port of export to  reduce lead time for delivery of goods and also to address the issue of un-predictability of supply orders
Ø  The period by which EOU units have to achieve Positive Net Foreign Exchange Earning (NEE) is  extended by one year  (5 to 6)
Ø  Facilitating & Encouraging Export of Defence goods
Ø  e-Commerce Exports : Goods falling in the category of handloom products, books / periodicals, leather footwear, toys and customized fashion garments, having FOB value up to Rs.25000 per consignment can be exported in manual mode through Foreign Post Offices at New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai
Ø  Additional Ports allowed for Export and import : Calicut Airport, Kerala and Arakonam ICD, Tamil Nadu have been notified as registered ports for import and export.
Ø  Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme extended to 33 Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
Ø  To resolve quality complaints and trade disputes, between exporters and importers a Committee on Quality Complaints and Trade Disputes (CQCTD) is being constituted in 22 offices
Ø  Vishakhapatnam and Bhimavaram added as Towns of Export Excellence (Product Category– Seafood) 
Ø  Higher rewards have been granted for the products like Agricultural and Village industry products ,Value added and packaged products, Eco-friendly and green products , Labour intensive Products with large employment potential ,Hi-tech products with high export earning potential
India’s FDI Policy
       Initial policy (1960-80) was more restrictive with the aim to develop local industries
Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) 1973
       allowed foreign equity participation only up to 40%
        inward looking policy for boosting domestic ownership and effective control of foreign enterprises
       No FDI without transfer of technology
       FDI was restricted only in high priority industries
Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999
       Liberalised foreign exchange controls and restrictions on foreign investments
       Deals in foreign exchange were to be ‘managed’ instead of ‘regulated’
       New foreign exchange management regime consistent with framework of WTO
       Direct outcome of liberal trade policies
       Enables RBI to pass regulations and central government to pass rules relating to foreign exchange in tune with the foreign trade policy of India
Currency Convertibility in India
       Currency convertibility is defined as the freedom to convert one currency into other internationally accepted currencies
       Implies the absence of restrictions on foreign exchange transactions or absence of exchange control
Two forms of convertibility
        I.            convertibility for current international transactions (current account convertibility)
     II.            convertibility for international capital movement (capital account convertibility)
       India has made Rupee convertible on current account on August 19, 1994
     Current account convertibility has been defined as the freedom to buy or sell foreign exchange for
a)      International transactions consisting of payment due in connection with foreign trade, other current business including services and normal short term banking and credit facilities
b)      Payment due as interest on loans and as net income from other investments
c) Payment of moderate amounts of amortization of loans for depreciation of direct investments
d) Moderate remittances for family living expenses

Ø  More relaxations were affected by the Reserve Bank of India with effect from July 5, 1995
Ø  Strong pressure from various corners to make the Rupee fully convertible
Ø  Committee on capital account convertibility under the chairmanship of Dr S S Tarapore
Globalisation and India
Trends
       First step- liberalization of trade late 1980
       New Economic Policy of 1991
       Measures to welcome international investment (FDI & FPI): opening up
       Deregulation of financial sector
       Current account convertibility of Rupee
Effects
       Exports increased
       No flood of import
       Improvement in current account deficit
       Adequate foreign exchange reserves
       Substantial flow of FDI, FPI and FII
       New environment for Indian companies
       Choices for Indian consumers

Prepared By

Dr SHABEER K P
Assistant Professor and Research Guide
PG and Research Department of Economics
Government College, Kodanchery, Kozhikode
Mobile: 9961 48 86 83
Email: kp.shabeer78@gmail.com
www.skpeco.blogspot.in