Multi-stage strategic trade policy in a differentiated duopoly

Abstract

We consider a three-stage, non-cooperative game between two countries and two firms (duopoly) under a “reciprocal market model” to identify the optimal trade policy in the presence of tariffs and subsidies, but also allowing each country to commit to free trade. Even in the presence of demand uncertainty and horizontal product differentiation, it is established that there always exists a subgame perfect equilibrium in which one of the countries chooses protection while the other country chooses free trade.