Category Archives: Globalisation & Trade

Globalization and Local Cultures: an Economist’s Perspective.

This entry was posted in Globalisation & Trade, Literature and Culture on 27th June 1997 by Brian Easton.

In J. Davey (ed) Globalisation and Local Cultures: Emerging Issues for the 21st Century, the proceedings of a seminar is sponsored by the Federation of New Zealand Social Science Organisations, the Royal Society of New Zealand, and the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO. 27 June, 1997. p.20-27.

Keywords: Globalisation & Trade; Literature and Culture;

Globalization might be justified by David Ricardo’s pregnant insight of 150 years ago, that it may be in the material interests of a region or country to withdraw from producing a product where it had an absolute advantage in production, in order to produce another commodity for which it had a comparative advantage. By trading the comparative advantage commodity to another region or country in exchange for the other commodity, both benefit. This suggests regions or nations will become increasingly specialized in the production of products which can be traded, presaging the globalization of the world economy which has been evolving since the nineteenth century, if not earlier.

Callovers, Chalkies & Chips:

This entry was posted in Business & Finance, Globalisation & Trade, Listener on 26th April 1997 by Brian Easton.

Once Upon A Time You Could See the Stock Market.
Listener: 19-26? April, 1997.

Keywords: Business & Finance; Globalisation & Trade;

While economists talk about “markets”, and business commentators personify them, it is rare to be able to see one as they are described in the textbooks. The stock market, which buys and sells company shares once had such a visible presence. David Grant’s book Bulls, Bears, and Elephants: A History of the New Zealand Stock Exchange is rich with stories of share market dealing – not all of which were honourable. It also pictures the stock market through time.

In Dire Straights

This entry was posted in Globalisation & Trade, Listener on 19th October 1996 by Brian Easton.

In a World that Favours Large Industrial Economies, are the Cook Islands Viable
Listener 19 October, 1996

Keywords Globalisation & Trade

Take the 18,000 odd population of one of the smaller New Zealand district councils. Scatter them across an ocean larger than the New Zealand landmass in 18 islands and atolls, and add the responsibilities of national governance. Except for location – they are three flying hours north of New Zealand – you have the Cook Islands.

New Zealand Can Be Different and Better, by Wolfgang Rosenberg

This entry was posted in Globalisation & Trade, Growth & Innovation, Macroeconomics & Money on 1st December 1993 by Brian Easton.

Review published in , Vol 3, No 3, (Issue 11) Summer 1993, p.5-6.

Keywords:Globalisation & Trade; Growth & Innovation; Macroeconomics & Money;

Those who wish to challenge Wolfgang Rosenberg’s policy prescriptions must confront the outstanding performance of the New Zealand economy in the first part of the postwar era. In the three decades from the mid-1930s, following the recovery from the depths of the interwar depression: the economy grew as fast as – or faster than – the rest of the OECD; the rate of inflation was slightly below the average; the overseas debt was not compromising; and there was full employment, (Rosenberg puts the break point in 1975, although the last decade was not as good as the period up to 1966.)

The Economic Relationship Between Australia & New Zealand

This entry was posted in Globalisation & Trade, Growth & Innovation, Political Economy & History on 16th October 1991 by Brian Easton.

Australia-New Zealand: Aspects of a Relationship, Proceedings of the Stout Research Centre, Eighth Annual Conference, Stout Research Centre, 1991, 14pp

Keywords: Globalisation & Trade; Growth & Innovation; Political Economy & History;

The three most important characteristics for property – “position, position, position” – are not so important in international economics, as the close economic link between the United Kingdom and New Zealand for almost a century indicates. Similarly that Australia is New Zealand’s nearest neighbour does not closely link the two economies.

The Porter Project

This entry was posted in Business & Finance, Globalisation & Trade, Listener on 3rd June 1991 by Brian Easton.

Listener 3 June, 1991.

Keywords: Business & Finance; Globalisation & Trade;

Flavour of the moment is Upgrading New Zealand’s Competitive Advantage, the report of the so-called Porter Project. Its 178 pages (plus appendices) are riddled with badly labelled graphs; portentous diagrams which, on reflection, say nothing; chummy references to “our country”, when two of the three authors are Americans; and platitudes dressed up as ‘deep and meaningful sentiments.

Sequences

This entry was posted in Globalisation & Trade, Listener, Macroeconomics & Money on 3rd December 1983 by Brian Easton.

Listener: 3 December, 1983.

Keywords: Globalisation & Trade; Macroeconomics & Money;

The view that there is excessive intervention in the New Zealand economy is widely accepted. Even the 1983 Budget expresses sentiments along these lines in a number of places when it reports changing the form and level of protection, the review of export assistance, decision “to move toward less disparate rates of assistance” within the agriculture and fishing sector, the decision to free up internal transport, the extension of foreign exchange licences, and the tendering of government stock, for instance.

Island Industry

This entry was posted in Globalisation & Trade, Listener on 18th July 1981 by Brian Easton.

Listener: 18 July, 1981.

Keywords: Globalisation & Trade;

The islands to our north present New Zealand with a number of economic social and political problems – the problems of how to treat neighbours who are small in numbers and materially poor, but significant to us in human terms (and perhaps of strategic importance). It would be so easy to neglect them or to use them for our convenience. However, in 1976 we took a more positive Islands Industrial Development Scheme (PIIDS).