This paper shows that environmental, labour and other standards can be effective strategic policy instruments even when they are strictly non-discriminatory. This is because standards can be set which the foreign producer optimally chooses not to meet, allowing the domestic producer to monopolize the standardized segment of the market. Thus, it is important for policy to consider how much scope...

An integrated production/delivery quantity model in a make-to-order producer–buyer supply chain is analyzed in this paper. The coordinated policy is achieved by scheduling single setup at the producer with multi-delivery to the buyer. We develop two synchronized cost models that include setup cost at the producer, ordering cost at the buyer, inventory carrying cost, and transportation cost that...

A steep decline in coffee prices at the producer level led to considerable pressure for farmers in Costa Rica and producer countries all over the world. One possible reaction was moving to specialty markets, where price pressure was perceived to be lower. We use original survey data from 2002/03 and 2003/04 to analyze the factors influencing efficiency levels of conventional and specialty coffe...