Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


osu1343240479.pdf (1.21 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Essays on Voluntary Standards in International Trade

McGuire, William
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1343240479

Abstract Details

2012, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Agricultural, Environmental and Developmental Economics.
This dissertation explores the role of voluntary standards in averting a “race to the bottom” following the liberalization of international trade. It presents a novel theoretical framework with which to understand the relationship between participation in export markets and the adoption of a voluntary standard that credibly identifies unobservable output quality. This framework not only explains some of the ambiguity found in the empirical literature on the subject, but also provides theoretical justification for the argument that market integration can put upward pressure on production standards in the presence of a credible voluntary standard. This theme is explored further in an empirical study of ISO 14001 adoption in China. Despite popular concern that lower trade barriers would worsen China’s environmental crisis, careful study suggests it had the opposite effect: encouraging the adoption of cleaner production methods. The analysis presented here demonstrates the adoption of the ISO 14001 environmental management standard improved the environmental performance of manufacturing firms in China. The work presented here provides theoretical and empirical evidence supporting the argument that trade liberalization can improve environmental, labor or safety standards, even when regulators cannot.
Ian Sheldon, PhD (Committee Chair)
Belton Fleisher, PhD (Committee Member)
Sam Abdoul, PhD (Committee Member)
Brian Roe, PhD (Committee Member)
Agricultural Economics; Economics
International Trade; Voluntary Standards; Environmental Protection

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • McGuire, W. (2012). Essays on Voluntary Standards in International Trade [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1343240479

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • McGuire, William. Essays on Voluntary Standards in International Trade. 2012. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1343240479.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • McGuire, William. "Essays on Voluntary Standards in International Trade." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1343240479

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1343240479
603
© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.