The philosophy of fiscal federalism presumes that local communities will under- or over-provide public amenities in the presence of externalities.  We test this hypothesis using data from Vision Iowa, a state program which provided partial funding to communities to build tourist attractions. ...

Training funds are used to incentivize training in developing countries, but the funds are based on payroll taxes that lower the return to training.  In the absence of training funds, larger, high-wage and more capital intensive firms are the most likely to offer training unless they are...

Many developing countries have tried to increase firm provision of training by providing subsidies funded by taxes proportional to the firm’s wage bill.  These training funds, however, may backfire if the adverse effect of the tax on training incentives outweighs the positive effects of...

This paper provides a systematic welfare-based approach to analyze the impact of non-tariff measures (NTMs) on trade and welfare in presence of market imperfections. We focus on standard-like measures such as technical barriers and sanitary and phytosanitary regulations. The approach overcomes...

The core is reformulated to incorporate the externality typical in strategic form games.  Any coalition of players may deviate by trying to commit to a profile of actions different from a status quo.  The outsiders of the coalition may take a coordinated measure, incentive-feasibly for...

We analyze the effects of a domestic standard that reduces an externality associated with the consumption of the good targeted by the standard, using a model in which foreign and domestic producers compete in the domestic good market. Producers can reduce expected damage associated with the...