Determinants of trade flow of some selected non-traditional agricultural export commodities in Nigeria

This study analysed the determinants of trade flow of some selected non-traditional agricultural export commodities in Nigeria, for the period 2007 to 2017. The objective of the study was to analyse the factors that determine the export of these commodities. The study used trade data of thirty-six importing countries of these commodities around the world. The secondary data used was sourced from various institutions’ databases. A balanced panel data from 36 countries for the years 2007-2017 were used with one dependent variable and ten explanatory variables (a total of n=396, N=36, and T=11); all variables were expressed in natural logarithm. The gravity estimation model was used in data analysis. The Hausman test was used in model selection and the test rejected the null hypothesis (random effects were efficient). Therefore, the fixed effects model was used in the gravity model results’ interpretation. The gravity model results indicate that Nigeria’s export of non-traditional commodities (classified as HS12 in the United Nations International Trade Statistics) follows the basic gravity model apriori expectations, implying that bilateral trade flows will increase in proportion to the trading partner’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and decrease in proportion to the distance involved.The level of openness of Nigeria’s economy and that of the importing countries were major determinants of trade flow of Nigeria’s HS12 commodity exports. This variable carried the expected positive sign for both Nigeria and its trading Partners and was also statistically significant at the 5% level. However, the real exchange rate variable was not a major determinant of HS12 commodity trade. The distance variable was statistically significant indicating the need for regional trade expansion. The dummy variable of the trading partner being an African country was positive and a significant factor in the determinants of the HS12 commodities. However, colonial or official language ties were negatively signed and significant, implying that this was not a major contributor to trade in these commodities. The study recommends that favorable import and export promotion policies and trade openness to boost growth in the quantity of non-traditional exports should form part of government trade policies; and Nigeria should also take advantage of the proposed African Free Trade Area considering the gains she stands to make through proximity in distance.

Making ideas actionable in institutionalism: the case of trade liberalization in Kennedy's foreign economic policy

This article challenges exclusively rationalist accounts of and offers a complementary explanation for the emergence of liberal trade policy in the Kennedy administration. I draw on recent insights in constructivist institutionalism to emphasize the need to take agency seriously in institutionalist research. Using archival records, I analyze the decisive role Kennedy's advisers played as carriers of ideas in advocating for liberal trade policy by ‘constructing the national interest’, thus convincing a reticent president to support attempts aimed at achieving closer economic integration, culminating in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Insights from their role as advisers can help in specifying the role of agency in the ideas and institutional change literature, through strategic action which shaped a political leader's belief and put political issues on the agenda. By grasping agency in terms of making ideas actionable, an important step is taken in advancing endogenous approaches of institutional change.

Trade Potential in Arab Nations: The Case of the GCC and PAFTA

We examine trade flows for Arab nations concentrating on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Pan-Arab Free Trade Area (PAFTA) areas, to identify opportunities to enhance intra-Arab trade and facilitate regional integration. We employ panel data for the years 2003–2017 and a structural gravity model together with an “aggregate” trade potential measure that treats the GCC and PAFTA areas as single countries. Results suggest that, by 2015, intra-area trade had reached maximum capacity for both blocs. Potential to trade also reached capacity with many of the largest Free Trade Areas around the world, however, opportunities for trade expansion that still exist with the MERCOSUR and ASEAN, as well as many distinct destinations, can assist in strategic planning to enhance integration efforts.

DEVELOPMENT OF ESTONIAN TRADE PATTERNS

This paper describes specialisation dynamics in Estonian export using revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and intra-industry trade (IIT) measures. We analyse the development of the distribution of comparative advantage using descriptive statistics and Galtonian regression. Intra-industry trade dynamic is analyzed using a marginal approach. We generally observe a stable specialization structure of Estonian exports in 2006-2011, along with some changes in specialization in the years following that. Based on the analysis of the RSA index and the Galtonian regression, we can make the conclusion about the diversification of the specialisation structure. The most important component of trade expansion in Estonia within the considered time period is the intra-industry trade. In 2016-2020 there was a significant increase in the specialization shift component in trade dynamic, which indicates the structural changes in Estonian exports. The most essential structural changes during the last five years occurred in such commodity sectors as food and live animals, animal and vegetable oils, as well as machinery and transport equipment, which were caused by the increasing share of specialization shift.

Uncovering the Gender Agenda - The Impacts of Fair Trade on Gender Relations in Chile

<p>Neoliberalism has perpetuated social inequality on a global scale. Augusto Pinochet’s neoliberal experiment would have significant repercussions on Chilean society. The evolution of export agriculture propelled Chile to economic success; a pioneer for the Latin American region. Unfortunately, macroeconomic advancements did not correlate to improvements in social equality. Fair trade, an alternative economic model, emerged in response to these growing inequalities. The movement promotes a more equitable distribution of wealth, despite operating within the neoliberal economy. Furthermore, the movement represents a promise of improved livelihoods to the producers and communities which have been marginalised by the predominant neoliberal system. The application of fair trade across Latin America has been extensive. In response to increased consumer demands, the range and volume of fair trade initiatives has continued to flourish. Chilean fair trade has demonstrated incredible potential through promoting improvements in labour conditions and community development. Furthermore, the low numbers of fair trade participants have proven beneficial in minimising opportunities for corruption. However, a lack of awareness has remained the largest barrier to future fair trade expansion in Chile. One of the most significant, yet controversial consequences of the export evolution was the emergence of the temporera labour force. Despite associations with severe labour abuses, temporera employment has improved significantly over the past thirty years. The temporeras of El Palqui have attributed these remarkable improvements to increased government support and union representation. Unfortunately, gender inequality continues to plague Chile, both within agriculture and on a national scale. Fair trades clauses on gender equality have demonstrated incredible potential to influence and improve gender relations in Chile. Collaboration between fair trade, alternative ethical trading initiatives, civil society and government appears to be particularly promising. Cooperation between these institutions holds the potential to transform opportunities for female exploitation into opportunities for their empowerment.</p>

Uncovering the Gender Agenda - The Impacts of Fair Trade on Gender Relations in Chile

<p>Neoliberalism has perpetuated social inequality on a global scale. Augusto Pinochet’s neoliberal experiment would have significant repercussions on Chilean society. The evolution of export agriculture propelled Chile to economic success; a pioneer for the Latin American region. Unfortunately, macroeconomic advancements did not correlate to improvements in social equality. Fair trade, an alternative economic model, emerged in response to these growing inequalities. The movement promotes a more equitable distribution of wealth, despite operating within the neoliberal economy. Furthermore, the movement represents a promise of improved livelihoods to the producers and communities which have been marginalised by the predominant neoliberal system. The application of fair trade across Latin America has been extensive. In response to increased consumer demands, the range and volume of fair trade initiatives has continued to flourish. Chilean fair trade has demonstrated incredible potential through promoting improvements in labour conditions and community development. Furthermore, the low numbers of fair trade participants have proven beneficial in minimising opportunities for corruption. However, a lack of awareness has remained the largest barrier to future fair trade expansion in Chile. One of the most significant, yet controversial consequences of the export evolution was the emergence of the temporera labour force. Despite associations with severe labour abuses, temporera employment has improved significantly over the past thirty years. The temporeras of El Palqui have attributed these remarkable improvements to increased government support and union representation. Unfortunately, gender inequality continues to plague Chile, both within agriculture and on a national scale. Fair trades clauses on gender equality have demonstrated incredible potential to influence and improve gender relations in Chile. Collaboration between fair trade, alternative ethical trading initiatives, civil society and government appears to be particularly promising. Cooperation between these institutions holds the potential to transform opportunities for female exploitation into opportunities for their empowerment.</p>

Determinants and Potential of Agri-Food Trade Using the Stochastic Frontier Gravity Model: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria

Considering the importance of agri-food exports for Nigeria in the face of dwindling revenue from its oil exports. Therefore, this study provides empirical insights on the determinants and potential of agri-food exports from Nigeria to 70 major trading countries between 1995 and 2019 by applying a Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) on a gravity model. We also estimate a variety of techniques, including the fixed effects, Ordinary Least Square (OLS), Pseudo Poisson Maximum Likelihood (PPML), and Heckman models to confirm the robustness of our results. We show that the economic size (GDP) of Nigeria and its trading countries, importers’ population, EU membership, ECOWAS membership and contiguity stimulate agri-food export. Also, we show that bilateral distance, domestic population, exchange rate, language, and landlocked adversely affect agri-food exports. The potential for agri-food trade expansion exists with mostly world biggest economies (including China, the USA, Brazil, India, Russia, Japan, and EU countries) and Nigeria’s border countries. Policy directions for agri-food export expansion are provided.

MEDIEVAL UDMURTS AND VOLGA BULGARIA IN X - EARLY XIII CENTURIES

The article deals with the problem of relations between two neighboring peoples - medieval Udmurts and Volga Bulgars in the 10 - early 13 centuries. The main material for the study was the archaeological materials presented at the present time by a significant number of studied archaeological objects - settlements and burial grounds. The author examines three stages of ethnocultural contacts: 1) X - the second half of the XI century; 2) the end of the XI - the middle of the XII century; 3) the second half of the XII - the beginning of the XIII century. At the beginning of the first stage, the degree of development of the material culture of both Bulgars and the Cheptsa population was at the same level, and the possibilities of development on the basis of raw materials in the Udmurt Cis-Urals were much higher. This situation persisted until the second half of the 10 century, when the Bulgar state began to actively develop the trade space to the north of its borders. Nevertheless, the Chepets population during this period was less exposed to the Bulgar trade expansion than the Mari, Mordovians and Murom, developing crafts and expanding ties with the Perm Urals. At the second stage, groups of settlers from the Volga Bulgaria appeared on Chepts, who influenced the development of high-tech industries and the emergence of new types of artifacts, for example, items of the Askiz type. By the end of the XII century. they have completely assimilated. In the same period, the connections of the Chepets population with the Perm Cis-Urals and Russian lands expanded. This situation continued at the third stage. At that time, mainly rare goods, for example, silk fabrics, were brought from the Volga Bulgaria. Thus, for three centuries, close ties of the medieval Udmurts with the Volga Bulgars remained, demonstrating special mechanisms of interaction in the changing conditions of the functioning of medieval ethnic groups in different models of cultural development.

GERMANISMS AND THEIR ADAPTATION IN ENGLISH (BASED ON MATERIALS OF SOCIO-POLITICAL SPHERE AND SPHERE OF ECONOMY)

The article deals with Germanisms and their adaptation in English on materials of socio-political sphere and sphere of economy. The role and place of foreign borrowings in the lexical structure of the English language are determined. It was found out that the role of borrowings (loan-words) in different languages is different and depends on the specific conditions of development of each language. The borrowing rate in English is much higher than in other languages. In English, compared to other languages, it was possible to borrow foreign words in direct contact: first with foreign conquerors, who constantly replaced each other in the British Isles, and later due to trade expansion and colonial activity of the British themselves.