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This paper analyses the decision by a firm over whether or not to recognize unions (and therefore enter the bargaining process) in order to gain market power in unionized markets. We show that union power coupled with the nature of the union-firm bargaining process - i.e. scope and structure - are key determinants of a firm’s choice to be unionized and to strategically adopt cost-raising strategies.

Strategic trade policy affects foreign-based firm's internationalization mode. In this paper, by endogenizing market structure and tariff policy, we claim that 'tariff jumping' is not enough to give a rationale to the existence of multinational enterprises, in absence of cost differentials and 'exportation costs' other than tariffs. Despite this first negative result, we show that the study of the strategic interaction between firms and policy-makers, even in such a simple framework, sheds some light on the relationship between national welfare and MNE's competitive advantages, putting on evidence tariff-policy discontinuities.

Strategic trade policy affects foreign-based furn's internationalization mode. In this paper, we endogenize market structure and tariff policy by considering a sequential game in which (i) a policy-maker maximizes national welfare, (ii) aforeign-based furn decides whether to supply the host-country market by exports orby activating a local plant, (iii) a local furn decides whether entering or not the domestic market, (in) both Gums choose output. We show that optimal tariff policy does no tallow for the existence of multinational enterprises at equilibrium (when transportation costs are neglected). Tile link between national welfare and fixed costs is fairly complex and counterintuitive results arise.

This study focuses on the geochemical features of the presently discharging thermal and cold springs and on paleofluids from the upstream portion of the Reno river basin (Alto Reno; central–northern Italy). The aim is investigating the primary sources of the modern and fossil fluids and the interactions between deep and shallow aquifers. Paleofluids are from fluid inclusions hosted within euhedral and hopper quartz crystals and consist of a two-phase, liquid–vapor aqueous fluid and a unary CH4 fluid. The aqueous inclusions have constant phase ratios and a calculated salinity of ~ 1.5 wt% NaCleq. They homogenize by bubble disappearance at 100–200 °C, whereas the estimated entrapment depth is ~ 3–5.5 km. The paleofluids likely represent the vestiges of the deep and hot, CH4-rich, Na+–Cl− fluids produced by the interaction between meteoric waters and Triassic and Miocene formations. The modern Na+–Cl−(HCO3−) thermal waters originate from meteoric waters infiltrating SW of the study area, at elevation > 800 m a.s.l., circulating within both the Triassic evaporites and the overlying Miocene turbiditic formations, where salt dissolution/precipitation, sulfate reduction, and production of thermogenic CH4 occur. The equilibrium temperature of the deep fluid source is ~ 170 °C, corresponding to > 5 km depth. Cold springs are Ca2+–HCO3− type and show low amounts of biogenic CO2 and CH4 with no inputs of deep-originated fluids excepting in the immediate surroundings of the thermal area, confirming the lack of significant hydraulic connection between shallow and deep aquifers. We propose a genetic link between the quartz-hosted paleofluid and the thermal waters present in the area.