We investigate differences in book prices between the United States and other countries. We find that general audience books are similarly priced internationally, but textbooks are substantially more expensive in the United States (often more than double the price). This disparity is much more...

Is there any empirical evidence that firms become more efficient after becoming exporters? Do firms that become exporters generate positive spillovers for domestically-oriented producers? In this paper we analyze the causal links between exporting and productivity using firm-level panel data...

We construct a theoretical framework to study the impact of quality standards for used durable goods on trade flows, profits and consumer welfare. We show that asymmetric quality standards generate trade in used goods from high to low standard countries while at the same time reducing trade in...

We show that books for general audiences are similarly priced internationally but textbooks are substantially more expensive in the United States. We argue that cost factors cannot explain this phenomenon and discuss several demand-side explanations

We study the market response to firm-specific shocks in a natural experiment setting. In 2006, a boycott of Danish products in several Arab countries was devastating for Danish cheese products firms. In Saudi Arabia their market share collapsed from 16.5% in January to below 1% in March and...

We estimate the degree of competition in the banking sectors of 148 countries over the period 1997-2010 using three methods: the Lerner index, the adjusted Lerner index, and the profit elasticity. Marginal cost estimates required for all methods are obtained using a flexible semi-parametric...

This paper examines the impact of oil supply and demand shocks on gasoline prices and consumer sentiment in the Euro Area. Results reveal that aggregate consumer sentiment and its components deteriorate notably as a response to positive shocks to real gasoline prices. On the contrary, positive...