This paper focuses on recent theoretical developments in political economy and what role they might play in explaining and reforming individual country and global distortions in food and agricultural markets. Four groups of forces are isolated: political governance structures emphasizing the...

Part 1. Gordon Rausser: Scholar, Leader and Entrepreneur -- Chapter 1. On the Essence of Leadership: Lessons from Gordon Rausser -- Chapter 2. Scholar, Entrepreneur and Editorial Innovator -- Chapter 3. Gordon Rausser: Impacts on the World Food System -- Chapter 4. Gordon Rausser and the...

Contracting and other forms of vertical coordination are important parts of the supply chains for many agricultural products. Often the buyer cares about multiple product attributes affected by a grower's actions. Using data that are insulated from common methodological problems, we test whether...

Few empirical studies have addressed the impact of the patent system on industry structure. Using firm-level patent data for firms in plant biotechnology, we develop a measure of patent enforceability. Duration models show that patent statistics are useful predictors of the timing of...

Privatization and market liberalization are widely considered to be complementary reforms in transition economies. This article challenges this view and the closely related “big bang” approach: when pursued too vigorously, privatization may impede the transition process following...