International trade

    Choose from: 1. Trade Patterns: Using trade data, evaluate a chosen country’s pattern of trade flows and provide explanations of what motivates the pattern observed and described. You must use primary sources for trade data. Two major sources are listed below. 2. Trade Dispute: Discuss a trade dispute and fully characterize both sides of the dispute and the motivation for the countries involved.     1. Trade Patterns: You are to characterize the trading patterns of a selected country and identify the nature of its comparative advantage. You will present trade data for your country, preferably in tables, and describe the patterns of trade by item that your tables show. You will then use the theories we studied and apply them to a particular country’s bilateral trade patterns. You must use a primary source for your trade data (two are listed below) and you must present your data in appropriately formatted and properly labeled tables. Your report will address the following questions: a. What are the major import and export commodities? How important is service trade? In describing these trade patterns, you should attempt to aggregate commodity groupings in a reasonable way while still showing sufficient detail – see discussion on trade data categories below. b. Which countries are your country’s major trading partners? In your discussion, you will indicate what you consider to be ‘major.’ Usually we consider those countries whose trade makes up more than a minimum percentage of trade. c. Fully characterize the bilateral import and export patterns between your country and two of its trading partners. Choose one of the two trading partners as one distant from your country. Do bilateral trade patterns differ for these two trading partners? Make sure to highlight differences in these trade patterns for the two countries. d. Provide reasonable explanations for these trade patterns (in parts b. and c. above) based on the theories we have studied (factor endowments, technology, etc)? Contrast trading patterns by discussing at least two examples (i.e. Canada <-> U.S vs. Canada <-> Japan). Support your conclusions with facts and evidence from other studies where appropriate. Any information you can get on endowment differences might help. Simple data might be population density as an indicator of land abundance   2. Trade Dispute: You are to research a trade dispute and write a report highlighting the main features of the dispute. You must outline the nature of the dispute: who are the parties involved, what is the complaint, has this complaint been raised in the past? You should try to link trade theory to the dispute, particularly our discussion about the political economy of trade policy. The country accused of maintaining trade barriers is trying to protect an industry. Discuss.