TY - JOUR AU - Brander,James A. AU - Spencer,Barbara J. TI - International Oligopoly and Asymmetric Labour Market Institutions JF - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series VL - No. 2038 PY - 1986 Y2 - October 1986 UR - http://www.nber.org/papers/w2038 L1 - http://www.nber.org/papers/w2038.pdf N1 - Author contact info: James A. Brander University of British Columbia Faculty of Commerce 2053 Main Mall Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z2 CANADA Tel: 604/822-8483 Fax: 604/822-8477 E-Mail: brander@sauder.ubc.ca Barbara J. Spencer University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business 2053 Main Mall Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2 CANADA Tel: 604/822-8479 Fax: 604/822-8477 E-Mail: barbara.spencer@sauder.ubc.ca AB - Asymmetries in labour relations can have important effects on imperfectively competitive rivalries between firms. Such asymmetries are particularly striking in cross-country comparisons and are therefore of greatest interest in international markets. Using a simple duopoly model, we focus on two asymmetries. First, one firm may face a noncooperative union and second, institutional factors may allow one firm to commit itself to particular labour input before its rival sets output, giving it a natural Stackelberg leadership role. We examine the trade policy incentives resulting from these labour asymmetries, focusing on profit shifting tariffs, quotas and subsidies. ER -