International Trade and Technology ITRN:
604
Spring 2002 ARL Room 268
Office: Finley Building, Room 215
Phone: 703-993-2279
Class Time: Wednesday, 4:30-7:00 P.M.
Introduction
The
seminar begins with an overview of the international trading system and asks
whether technology trade is truly different from other kinds of trade, and if
so, how and why? The seminar will
investigate the role of technological innovation in creating opportunities for
trade, and examines the role of government in promoting and supporting the
national innovation systems that are integral to trade. The seminar then examines the forces leading
to global integration in the innovation processes associated with some
industries and explores whether national ‘competitiveness’ still matters. From there, the seminar moves to an
examination of different theories about technology and trade, including
complexity theory and new trade theory, and it will then examine regional trade
in the context of these theories of technology trade. The course wraps up by examining whether the principle of
neo-classical “free trade” can still be profitably applied to technology within
the international trading system. Using a series of case studies, and having
students participate in mini-seminars with experts in the thick of this
controversy, this class provides a practical, hands-on inquiry into a
contemporary issue.
Don
Kash can be reached during the day at 703-993-2279, by email at dkash@gmu.edu.
Individual meetings can be arranged by appointment. Appointments to discuss final briefings
preparations are encouraged. Regular
office hours will be scheduled at the first class meeting.
Class
Participation and Assignments
This
class is a seminar. Seminar participants
will be expected to have read the material assigned for each seminar
session in advance of the class.
Students will be expected to actively discuss and critique the readings and to participate in the case studies. Students who do not participate in class
discussion and case studies will have a lower grade than active
participants.
There will be two exams and a
final presentation required.
Briefing:
Each student will be
responsible for preparing a thoroughly researched presentation (i.e., briefing)
that investigates a particular case of trade controversy associated with
technology. These cases may look at
specific technologies such as airplanes (e.g., the Boeing Airbus competition)
or standards for high definition television, or they may look at broader issues
such as the protection of intellectual property or trade and antitrust. The
presentations must be given in oral form plus a written version must be
submitted that includes convincing documentation and a research-quality
bibliography. Plagiarism, including
failure to properly cite direct quotes,
will result in a failing grade.
Students
should have a one-page description of what they propose to do for a briefing
paper by February 5. The description
may be submitted either electronically or in paper form. A meeting with the instructor to discuss
your topic is encouraged. The proposal
will be returned either with the instructor’s approval or with directions for
modification that may range from minor suggestions for change to a requirement
for a new proposal on February 12. The
final presentations will be scheduled during the last two seminar
sessions. Each student will have a
twenty minute period for presentation.
Grade
The
seminar grade will be based on the following:
·
Class participation
15%
·
Mid-term quiz (15%) and final exam (35%) 50 %
·
Final Presentation 35%
Rycroft, Robert W. and Kash, Don E., The Complexity
Challenge: Technological Innovation in
the
21st Century, London: Pinter, 1999.
National Research Council, Conflict and
Cooperation in National Competition for High-
Technology Industry. Washington, DC: National Academy Press,
1996.
Tyson,
Laura D'Andrea. Who's
Bashing Whom? Trade Conflict in High
Technology Industries.
Washington, DC: Institute for International Economics, 1992.
January 23 Introduction: Technology and the
International Trading System
Lecture
Preparatory
Readings:
R. Blackhurst, “The WTO and the Global Economy,” The World Economy, 20, No. 5 (August,
1997) pp. 527-44.
Gary
Horlick, “A U.S. Perspective on the Launch of a New WTO Trade Round at Qatar”, Journal of Japanese Trade and
Industry, Sept./ Oct., 2001, pp. 1-10.
http://www.jef.or.jp/en/jti/200109_008.html
Charlene Barshefsky, “Next Steps at the World Trade Organization,”
Testimony before House
Committee on Ways
and Means, Subcommittee on Trade, Washington, DC, Feb. 8, 2000.
http://www.ustr.gov/speech-test/barshefsky/barshefsky_t33.pdf
J.
Schott (1994), The Uruguay Round: An
Assessment, Institute for International Economics, Wash.
D.C.,
Overview, pp. 3-39.
http://www.iie.com/publications/pub.cfm?pub_id=64&noprice=yes
J.
Schott, “Implementing the URA,” The Year
in Trade 1994: Operation of the Trade Agreements
Program 46th Report, USITC
publication, Ch.1. http://www.usitc.gov/332S/otap.htm
Bernard
Hoekman and Kym Anderson “Developing
Country Agriculture and the New Trade Agenda,” http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/research/workpapers.nsf/5ade973899c8608685256731006834d5/0741beec4dfa5b35852567e000541c32?OpenDocument
Preparatory
Readings:
Laura
Tyson, Chapters One and Two in Who’s Bashing Whom?
Paul
Krugman, “Technology and International Competition: A Historical Perspective,”
in Linking Trade and Technology Policies, National Academy of Sciences,
1992.
Robert
W. Rycroft and Don E. Kash, Chapters One and Two in The Complexity
Challenge.
February 13 The Role of Technological
Innovation
(Presentation Proposal
Due)
Preparatory
Readings:
Robert W. Rycroft and Don E. Kash, Chapters Three through
Five in The Complexity Challenge.
Steven Kline and Nathan Rosenberg, "An Overview of
Innovation", in Ralph Landau and Nathan
Rosenberg, The Positive Sum
Strategy Washington: National
Academy Press, 1986, pp.
275-305.
February 20 Globalization
and Controversial Issues on Environment and Intellectual
Property
Preparatory
Readings:
Keith
E. Maskus and Grifang Yang, “Intellectual Property Rights, Foreign Direct
Investment and Competition Issues in Developing Countries,” International
Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 19, Nos. 1&2, 2000, pp. 22-34
Robert
M. Sherwook, “The TRIP Agreement: Benefits and Costs for Developing Countries,”
International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 19, Nos. 1&2,
2000, pp. 57-76
Hakan
Nordstrom and Scott Vaughan, Trade and Environment, World Trade
Organization, October 1999. Executive Summary, Introduction, Chapter IV and V.
Lyuba
Zarsky, “Havens, Halos, and Spaghetti: Untangling the Evidence about Foreign
Direct and the Environment,” in Conference on Foreign Direct Investment and
the Environment. The Hague, Netherlands: Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development, January 1999
February 27 Mid
Term Exam
March 6 Technology
Trade as a Complex Adaptive System
Preparatory Readings:
Brian Arthur, “Positive Feedbacks in the Economy”
Scientific American, February 1990, pp.
92-99
Robert W. Rycroft
and Don E. Kash, Chapters six, eight, and nine in The Complexity Challenge.
March 13 SPRING BREAK- No Class
March 20 “National
Competitiveness: Does It Matter in a Global Market?
Guest Lecturer: Kent Hughes, Public Policy Scholar, The
Woodrow Wilson Institute (invited)
Preparatory
Readings:
National
Academy of Sciences, Conflict and Cooperation, pp., 12-72.
Paul
Krugman, “Competitiveness: A Dangerous Obsession,” Foreign Affairs,
March/April, 1994,
pp. 28-44
March 27 Sources
of Technology Trade Conflict
Preparatory
Readings:
National Academy of Sciences, Conflict and Cooperation,
pp, 72-120.
Laura Tyson, Who’s Bashing Whom? Trade Conflict in
High Technology Industries. Institute for
International Economics, 1992,
pp. 17-45, 85-133
April 3 Regional Technology Policies
and Innovation
Preparatory
Readings:
Industry,” in Who’s Bashing
Whom? Trade Conflict in High Technology Industries.
Institute for International
Economics, 1992, pp. 217-249.
Linsu Kim, "National Systems of Industrial
Innovation: Dynamics of Capability
Building in
Korea", in Richard R. Nelson,
ed., National Innovation Systems, New York: Oxford
University Press, 1993, pp.
357-383.
April 10 The
Challenge of Globalization: Chinese and Indian Cases
Case studies will be provided by instructor: Haier, Legend, Changhong, Infosys, TCS, and
MICO.
April 17 What Can Public Policy Do?
(Paper Due)
Preparatory
Readings:
Laura Tyson, “Industrial Policy and Trade Management in
the Commercial Aircraft Industry,” in
Who’s Bashing Whom? Trade
Conflict in High Technology Industries. Institute for
International Economics, 1992,
pp. 1-16, 155-216
Robert W. Rycroft
and Don E. Kash chapters eleven and twelve of The Complexity Challenge.
April
24 Student Presentations