Policy & Media

LES - VOXEU - POLICY - OP-EDs - PRESENTATIONS

LEUVENSE ECONOMISCHE STANDPUNTEN (in Dutch)

No. 2016 - 157. Hoe Duurzaam is het Chinese Bestuursmodel?

No. 2014 - 141. Jobcreatie door Starters (met Karen Geurts)

No. 2009 - 126. Welk Beleid voor de (Vlaamse) Auto Industry

VOXCHINA.ORG

In 2010, China displaced the US as the world’s largest manufacturing country. Experts typically cite expanded access to international markets and high rates of investment as the chief reasons for the rapid growth in this sector. Often neglected in these accounts, however, is the role of a rapidly expanding domestic market, as well as impressive productivity growth over much of the 1990s and 2000s before the onset of the Great Recession (Brandt, Van Biesebroeck, and Zhang, 2012). In our recent article in theAmerican Economic Review (Brandt et. al., 2017a), we utilize firm-level data covering most of China’s manufacturing sector to examine the effect of trade liberalization on firm-level markups and productivity over a period that spans China’s entry into WTO.

Full paper appeared as “WTO Accession and Performance of Chinese Manufacturing Firms” in the American Economic Review (paper)

VOXEU.ORG

Could the car industry in developing countries start to produce vehicles that can compete domestically – perhaps even globally? While the prospects for the automotive sector are still less promising than for other industries, as the markets for motor vehicles shift to the developing world and production inevitably follows, more development and design work will shift as well.

Full paper appeared as “Global Value Chains in the Automotive Industry: An Enhanced Role for Developing Countries?” in Int. J. Technological Learning, Innovation and Development (paper)

Following the US bailout of the automotive industry, Canada is now bailing out its own auto firms, lest they migrate southward. This most recent action only continues a long history of lavish subsidies for the auto industry. Are governments giving away money for nothing?

Full paper appeared as “Bidding for Investment Projects: Smart Public Policy or Corporate Welfare” in Canadian Public Policy (paper)

I propose ending six policies that hamper the US automotive industry: replacing discretionary environmental policies with a CO2 tax, addressing legacy costs, ending the distinction between right-to-work and other states, levelling the investment subsidy playing field, resolving uncertainty surrounding the future powertrain, and allowing direct sales to the public.

Much-discussed African problems – poor infrastructure, poor public services, etc. – did not stop Africa from boosting its exports when the US lowered it tariffs and limited other subtle trade barriers. Other OECD countries should re-consider their trade policies towards Africa in this light.

Full paper appeared as “Trade Growth Following the African Growth and Opportunity Act” in the Review of Economics and Statistics (paper)

POLICY (in Dutch)

Economische analyse van exportpromotie als buffer tegen de economische crisis, Van Biesebroeck, J., Konings, J., Volpe Martincus, C. (2015), Beleidsrapport STORE-B-15-006

Jobcreatie door Starters, Geurts, K., Van Biesebroeck, J. (2015), Over Werk - Tijdschrift voor het Steunpunt WSE

Metaforum KU Leuven - Middaggesprek met Peter Mertens & Jo Van Biesebroeck, Ethische Perspectieven, Juni 2013, 23(4): 409-420.

OP-EDs (in Dutch)

Nu de saga van het faillissement van General Motors, de uitverkoop van Opel, en de waarschijnlijke sluiting van Opel Antwerpen stilaan naar zijn eindpunt loopt is, loont het de moeite om te kijken welke lessen we kunnen trekken uit de vele overheidsinterventies in de auto sector.

Heeft het zin dat een overheid ‘haar’ automobielindustrie bijspringt met miljarden staatssteun? Of is dat weggegooid geld dat in een diepe put verdwijnt?

Doet Vlaanderen gekke dingen door Volvo Gent te steunen? Niet als je vergelijkt met wat er in het buitenland allemaal gebeurt om noodlijdende autofabrieken kunstmatig in leven te houden.

Heeft Vlaanderen al nagedacht over de autosector? Er zijn talloze redenen waarom een Vlaamse kapitaalinbreng in een onafhankelijk Opel Europa weinig zin heeft. Vlaanderen zou zich beter eerst afvragen waar het met de autoassemblage naartoe wil, voor het nog eens de portemonnee opentrekt in een ondoordachte reddingsoperatie op het laatste moment.

De beslissing om Opel Antwerpen te sluiten is in zekere zin al genomen in 2006 toen de productie van de nieuwe Astra aan andere GM Europa vestigingen is toevertrouwd. Hoe kan het toch dat er toen geen haan naar kraaide, maar dat nu de overheid wel met belastingssteun klaar staat als de situatie er alleen maar beroerder voor staat.

POLICY PRESENTATIONS

Presentation at the College of Europe

Presentation at DG-Trade

Distinguished Speaker session at Industry Canada, Ottawa

Ekonomika Alumni Dag - MBA in 1 day

Presentation at a conference by CRIMT (Centre de Recherche Interuniversitaire sur la Mondialisation et le Travail) in Montreal on the future of manufacturing in North America

Presentation at a conference on “Offshore Outsourcing: Capitalizing on Lessons Learned”, jointly organized by the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto) and Industry Canada

Presentation at the Global Supply Chain Roundtable (Ottawa). This was an industry-government roundtable organized by Industry Canada to discuss the role of Canadian firms in global value chains.