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207
the present dissertation by exploring how RTAs can be negotiated specifically with
the intention of facilitating multilateral negotiations. This research might best be
addressed through qualitative case analyses contrasting negotiations involving the
US. Specifically, if rational, US policy makers must anticipate future multilateral
negotiations. Accordingly, RTA negotiations relating to a FTA of the Americas or
an FTA of the Pacific Rim may reflect a different approach than bilateral
negotiations. Similarly, the EU offers a unique opportunity to examine variation in
negotiation strategy and content by contrasting accessions within Europe and
agreements involving the EC with states elsewhere (e.g., EC-Chile FTA, EC-Egypt
FTA, EC-Mexico FTA).
An alternative approach to examining the sphere of influence proposition
considers collective action and the formation of norms. Elinor Ostrom (2000)
presents experimental evidence that contradicts the zero contribution hypothesis
popularized by Olson (1965). She argues that potential collaborators signal their
intent to cooperate through a process that establishes new norms. RTAs necessarily
establish norms and the norms represent a baseline for future negotiations.
Examination of RTAs in the context of norm formation may be instructive. This
research can be qualitative or quantitative. Quantitative analysts might wish to
identify the key components comprising RTAs and track the components over time
through successive RTAs. Qualitative analysts might choose to examine the
variation of a single issue across RTAs and over time. For example, it might be
useful to examine the treatment of intellectual property rights or agriculture subsidies
Object Description
| Title | Riding the wave: an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the popularity of RTA notifications to the GATT/WTO |
| Author | McClough, David Andrew |
| Author email | mcclough@usc.edu; dmcclou@bgsu.edu |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Political Economy & Public Policy |
| School | College of Letters, Arts and Sciences |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-08-07 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-10-18 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Katada, Saori N. |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Nugent, Jeffrey B. Cartier, Carolyn |
| Abstract | The proliferation of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) notified to the GATT/WTO since the early 1980s deviates from the long-term trend and reflects participation of nearly every member of the United Nations. This dissertation seeks to explain the current wave of RTA notifications by supplementing the economic model of supply and demand with diffusion theory. Application of the supply and demand model is useful in distinguishing between changes in demand and changes insupply of RTAs. This distinction is seldom emphasized in the current literature examining RTAs. Recent applications of diffusion theory in the discipline of international relations offer a unique opportunity to include a dynamic force in the static analysis of the supply and demand model. Empirical analysis assesses the fit of the RTA diffusion pattern by comparing the RTA diffusion pattern to a cumulative standard normal distribution. The analysis indicates that the diffusion pattern of RTAs resembles the diffusion of an innovation through a social system.; The implication of this finding is that the adoption of an RTA as trade policy is not made independently of the decision by other states. Indeed, the analysis suggests interdependency between states. Further empirical analysis explores economic and political variables that may explain the decision to adopt the RTA as trade policy. The empirical analysis is unique in that survival analysis is utilized to assess the variation in duration to adopt an initial RTA since the early 1980s. A central discovery is that regional designation explains the variation in duration to adopt an initial RTA. Multiple regression analysis confirms the results generated using survival analysis and support the assertion that the proliferation of RTAs likely reflects changes in both the demand for RTAs and the supply of RTAs. This dissertation concludes by considering implications for the WTO resulting from the increase in RTA notifications. |
| Keyword | trade agreements |
| Coverage date | after 1980 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1675 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | McClough, David Andrew |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-McClough-2338 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume32/etd-McClough-2338.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 216 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 207 the present dissertation by exploring how RTAs can be negotiated specifically with the intention of facilitating multilateral negotiations. This research might best be addressed through qualitative case analyses contrasting negotiations involving the US. Specifically, if rational, US policy makers must anticipate future multilateral negotiations. Accordingly, RTA negotiations relating to a FTA of the Americas or an FTA of the Pacific Rim may reflect a different approach than bilateral negotiations. Similarly, the EU offers a unique opportunity to examine variation in negotiation strategy and content by contrasting accessions within Europe and agreements involving the EC with states elsewhere (e.g., EC-Chile FTA, EC-Egypt FTA, EC-Mexico FTA). An alternative approach to examining the sphere of influence proposition considers collective action and the formation of norms. Elinor Ostrom (2000) presents experimental evidence that contradicts the zero contribution hypothesis popularized by Olson (1965). She argues that potential collaborators signal their intent to cooperate through a process that establishes new norms. RTAs necessarily establish norms and the norms represent a baseline for future negotiations. Examination of RTAs in the context of norm formation may be instructive. This research can be qualitative or quantitative. Quantitative analysts might wish to identify the key components comprising RTAs and track the components over time through successive RTAs. Qualitative analysts might choose to examine the variation of a single issue across RTAs and over time. For example, it might be useful to examine the treatment of intellectual property rights or agriculture subsidies |
