A Guide to the Global Business Environment

The Economics of International Commerce

William Kerr, University Distinguished Professor, University of Saskatchewan, Canada and Nicholas Perdikis, Professor of International Business, Aberystwyth University, UK

This MBA textbook provides a guide to the international institutions, both public and private, that exist to regulate and facilitate international business. William Kerr and Nicholas Perdikis explain how international business decision making should take into account the ideas and institutions that make up the international commercial environment, such as why trade theories are important to business; the ways in which governments can restrict trade; the role of international trade rules in reducing risk; the threats that anti-dumping and countervail actions pose; the pros and cons of operating multilaterally; the role of trading houses and the advantages of using private sector institutions to settle international business disputes.

‘This book is a tour de force of international commerce. It is a must read for both, high level students and practitioners interested in understanding all the risks and benefits of the global trade activity. The breath of coverage in the book of all the issues involved in the commercial activity, from the theoretical economic models to the institutional approach, with the explanation of the role and rules of the international organizations, provides a unique and coherent vision of the real life issues in the global business environment.’
– Me. Luis Carlos Yllana Kopschina, Feevale University, Brazil

‘I have used the materials contained in this book extensively in a major trade-related capacity, building a technical training program for trade officials and business people in six countries in Southeast Asia to great effect. The book fills an important gap in the existing literature on the subject and links international economic policy to practical hands on international business management. It underlines the importance of understanding the increasingly complex nature of international markets and offers useful options for mitigating their risk.’
– Wayne Robinson, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, Canada